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Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
A stroke means that not enough blood is getting to part of the brain. When that happens, that part of the brain starts to die. Every minute without care causes permanent damage to the brain.
A stroke needs very fast treatment - much faster than a heart attack. There are medicines that can stop the stroke from getting worse, but they must be given very quickly after you first notice that something is wrong.
Do not drive yourself to the hospital. Do not have a friend drive you. An ambulance crew can start treatment immediately. If you are having a stroke, it is not safe for you to drive.
Do not come to the fire station, because we may be out on another emergency. If we are out, the 9-1-1 dispatcher will send the next closest ambulance to your home.
Do not wait to see if things improve. In a stroke, every minute counts.
Try to remember the exact time when the patient complained of problems, or when you noticed that something was wrong. This information is extremely important to the doctors at the hospital.