Learn 3 things to ask if you think someone might be having a stroke
Check for stroke using the FAST system. Ask the person to
- Smile [check to see if it is straight or crooked]
- Raise your hands [check to see if the hands are raised to an even level]
- Speak: “It’s a sunny day outside.” [check to see if it is clear or slurred]
Will these 3 tests accurately diagnose ALL strokes?
A: Nothing is perfect, not even sophisticated medical tests. These are the five symptoms The American Stroke Association says are the warning signs of a stroke:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side
- 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
If a person exhibits any of the above symptoms OR can’t pass the 3 tests then get emergency medical treatment immediately.
More Resources
See the following links in addition to our lists of resources on this website.
- Stroke Treatment & Recovery
- Regaining Sight After a Stroke
- Brain Injury & Traumatic Brain Injury Resources
- Traumatic Brain Injury Area of Focus
- Download the PDF Five Things to Know About Stroke (.pdf)
- American Stroke Month Infographic: 5 Ways to Reduce Stroke Risk from the the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. F.A.S.T. infographic with stroke warning signs: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 9-1-1. Copyright American Heart Association 2020, May 2020. Updated
- Strokes can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. Learn how to safeguard yourself against stroke, from the CDC National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention. May is National Stroke Awareness Month.
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- American Stroke Association
- Stroke Signs and Symptoms from the CDC New
- Stroke Warning Signs and Symptoms from the American Stroke Association
- Stroke Treatments
- Stroke in Children New
- Types of Aphasia
- What Is an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM)?
- Brain Stem Stroke
- What You Should Know About Cerebral Aneurysms
- Ischemic Strokes (Clots)
- TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack)
- Hemorrhagic Strokes (Bleeds)
- Caregivers