# RECOGNIZING A STROKE



## Ex3 (Nov 19, 2007)

STROKE IDENTIFICATION: 

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally.   He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.   

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Remember the "3" steps, STR .    Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify.    Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster.   

The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:  

S * Ask the individual to SMILE .

T * = TALK. Ask the person to SPEAK A SIMPLE   SENTENCE (Coherently) (eg "It is sunny out today"). 

R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS .


If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.


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## Sdiver (Nov 19, 2007)

D,
What you've posted is called "The Cincinnati Stroke Scale". 

We use it at least 3 times a week, on calls. And with the holidays coming up, we tend to use it more and more. Especially with family get together. 

Here is was Ex posted above, with pictures (for the Marines and of course Pardus, who can't read to good no how ;))

http://www.strokecenter.org/trials/scales/cincinnati.html

1) *Ask the person to smile.* What you're looking for is facial droop. 

2) *Ask the person to speak a simple sentence*. What you're listening for, is any slurred speech.

3) *Ask the person to close their eyes, and extend their arms in front of them and hold them there.* What your looking for is arm drift. Is one arm unable to stay out in front of them, and drifts back down to their lap. 

*4) *You can also ask the person to squeeze your fingers* Put your fingers in the hands of the person, and ask them to squeeze. What your looking for is, is one side stronger/weaker than the other.


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## Titus Pullo (Nov 19, 2007)

This is fantastic info to have, especially for those of us who have parents moving into the Golden years or those of us with medical conditions.


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## Boondocksaint375 (Nov 19, 2007)

moved to medical


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## Sdiver (Nov 19, 2007)

Titus Pullo said:


> This is fantastic info to have, especially for those of us who have parents moving into the Golden years or those of us with medical conditions.



Here ya go Brew.
Here's another web site to look at.

http://www.med-help.net/Stroke.html

There are several types of strokes to look for.
The first is a "TIA" or a "Little Stroke". These can happen to anyone not in those "Golden Years" you referred to. It can happen to any, and all of us.

The bigger stroke, a "CVA", is the one that causes the most damage, and needs to be addressed ASAP, if you see anything from that Cincinnati Scale, from above. 

As Ex stated above, if you see any signs of a possible stroke in someone, call 911 ASAP, and get that person to a hospital. If it is confirmed by the EMS crew, they will call a "Stroke Alert", letting the hospital know, they are coming in with someone having a "CVA", to which, the Hospital will make them #1 for a CT scan, and also have a "Stroke Team" on standby, and then they can treat accordingly.


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## Chopstick (Nov 19, 2007)

I suffered a "little stroke" at the hospital at work in 1997.  Talk about being in the right place at the right time.  I dont think Id be typing to you all without the wonderful residents I was working with at the time


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## Ex3 (Nov 19, 2007)

Chopstick said:


> I suffered a "little stroke" at the hospital at work in 1997.  Talk about being in the right place at the right time.  I dont think Id be typing to you all without the wonderful residents I was working with at the time



Thank God you got help and recovered fully!  Do they know what caused your stroke?


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## Ravage (Nov 19, 2007)

I rememba talking to my old man after he had a stroke. He told me that just minutes after he left our home to get to work in the afternoon he felt much pain in the chest area. He acctualy drove to the hospital, went into the wating room and told the women there that he thinks he's having a heart attack. Then he fainted....
After that it was the usual: respirator, heart massage, surgery etc. etc.
I'm so damn proud of him that he remained calm and cool. But gues thats what You get after 20+ years as a cab driver


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## Chopstick (Nov 19, 2007)

Ex3 said:


> Thank God you got help and recovered fully!  Do they know what caused your stroke?


I have a clotting disorder I never knew I had!  Anticardiophosolipid antibody syndrome.  (try saying that three times fast with an olive stuck on your tongue)


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## Polar Bear (Nov 19, 2007)

Thanks for the info D


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## Ex3 (Nov 19, 2007)

In the same vein.......

Let's say it's 6.15pm and you're driving home (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job.

Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw.

You are only five miles from the hospital nearest your home.

Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far

WHAT TO DO ??? 

YOU HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN CPR, BUT THE GUY THAT CONDUCTED THE COURSE DID NOT TELL YOU HOW TO PERFORM IT ON YOURSELF !!!

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE? 

SINCE MANY PEOPLE ARE ALONE WHEN THEY SUFFER A HEART ATTACK, WITHOUT HELP, THE PERSON WHOSE HEART IS BEATING IMPROPERLY AND WHO BEGINS TO FEEL FAINT, HAS ONLY ABOUT 10 SECONDS LEFT BEFORE LOSING CONSCIOUS 
WHAT TO DO ??

ANSWER:

DO NOT PANIC, BUT START COUGHING REPEATEDLY AND VERY VIGOROUSLY. 

A DEEP BREATH SHOULD BE TAKEN BEFORE EACH COUGH, THE COUGH MUST BE DEEP AND PROLONGED, AS WHEN PRODUCING SPUTUM FROM DEEP INSIDE THE CHEST. 

A BREATH AND A COUGH MUST BE REPEATED ABOUT EVERY TWO SECONDS WITHOUT LET-UP UNTIL HELP ARRIVES, OR UNTIL THE HEART IS FELT TO BE BEATING NORMALLY AGAIN.



DEEP BREATHS GET OXYGEN INTO THE LUNGS AND COUGHING MOVEMENTS SQUEEZE THE HEART AND KEEP THE BLOOD CIRCULATING. THE SQUEEZING PRESSURE ON THE HEART ALSO HELPS IT REGAIN NORMAL RHYTHM. IN THIS WAY, HEART ATTACK VICTIMS CAN GET TO A HOSPITAL 

ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON N.º 240 OF JOURNAL OF GENERAL HOSPITAL ROCHESTER


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## pardus (Nov 19, 2007)

This is excellent info!!

Thank you Ex and fuck you Sdiver lol


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## Ex3 (Nov 19, 2007)

pardus762 said:


> This is excellent info!!
> 
> Thank you Ex and fuck you Sdiver lol



Yeah, when you're married to an AARP member, you have to be up on all the emergency first aid tricks!!!


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