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Recognizing stroke symptoms, and getting a quick diagnosis and treatment could mean the difference between life and death or even permanent disability. But unfortunately, a woman's stroke symptoms don't fit the textbook signs often causing them to delay treatment.

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in this country and the leading cause of disability. It kills more than 160,000 people every year.

What is a Stroke? When you have a stroke, something changes how the blood flows through the brain a very complex, and intricate network; the largest organ in the nervous system that regulates virtually all human activity.

When the brain is temporarily blocked, and part of the brain doesn't receive the oxygen and the nutrients that it needs to function, cells die within minutes. You may have heard a stroke referred to as a "brain attack" because when a clogged artery occludes the flow of blood to any part of the brain it can cause a blood vessel to burst in the brain causing someone to have trouble speaking, thinking or walking. Types of Stroke

There are two major types of strokes. The most common kind is known as ischemia. This is caused by a blood clot or a narrowing of a blood vessel (artery) leading to the brain.

The second and often more serious type is a hemorrhagic stroke. When a blood vessel "bursts" or breaks within the brain it causes bleeding that spills into the brain and is not commonly localized or contained.

Stroke Symptoms It is critical to note that women having a stroke are more likely to delay seeking treatment than their male counterparts.

According to a recent study, researchers looked at the medical records of women treated in an emergency room. Among women who were later treated for stroke, the study showed that many of them reported symptoms that were different from the typical stroke symptoms.

It is not to say that women will not have some of the classic symptoms, however, in addition to or instead of traditional stroke symptoms, women are more likely to report alternative symptoms first causing the delay in seeking help.

Some of the more classic symptoms are:


 * Sudden numbness, weakness, or paralysis of your face, arm or leg? usually on one side of your body


 * Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding speech


 * Sudden blurred vision, double or decreased vision


 * Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination


 * A sudden, sever "Bolt out of the blue" headache or an unusual headache, which may be accompanied by a stiff neck, facial pain, pain between your eyes, vomiting or altered consciousness


 * Confusion, or problems with memory spatial orientation or perception

Alternative symptoms may be:


 * Loss of consciousness or fainting


 * Falls or accidents


 * Sudden pain in the face, chest, arms or legs


 * Seizures


 * Sudden hiccups


 * Sudden nausea


 * Pounding or racing heartbeat (Palpitations)

According to a report from the Cleveland Clinic, a woman coming into the emergency department with facial weakness will quickly be sent off for brain imaging, but when the main complaint is shortness of breath or fainting, it may be that neither the woman nor the emergency staff would suspect stroke.

Know the warning signs. If you suspect you or anyone else is having a stroke, do not hesitate in seeking treatment. Remember the word FAST.

F? Face: does one side drop when asked to smile?

A? Arms: when raising both arms, does one arm drift away?

S? Speech: when trying to repeat a simple sentence, are the words slurred or incorrect?

T? Time: Call 911 to be evaluated and treated.

Join me next week for part two of this series and in the meantime, protect the woman in your life! Please visit me at. capsiplex