10 Signs of a Stroke

A stroke, also called a “brain attack,” occurs when a blood vessel in the brain becomes blocked with plaque, a blood clot, or other substance, or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Due to the fact that the human brain is not able to store its own oxygen, it depends on various blood vessels for this supply.When a brain attack takes place, the person's oxygen supply to this organ is cut off and after several minutes, brain tissue begins to die. For this reason, no one should ever ignore the signs or symptoms associated with a brain attack. Rather, the person should call 911 or if possible, get the attention of another individual who can help.

1. Muscle Weakness

Brain attacks can lead to muscle weakness, specifically a type of weakness called hemiparesis. The latter is a term that refers to weakness on a particular side of the body. In most cases, a person is able to move the affected side, but it does not function as well as the other. This is because the muscular strength has been reduced from lack of oxygen to the affected area.The side that experiences weakness is always opposite to the side of the brain where the attack occurred. If it took place in the brain's right hemisphere, which controls certain types of behavior and nonverbal communication, left-sided weakness is the result. Similarly, if the injury was to the left portion of the brain, which controls speech and language, right-sided weakness is typically apparent.Next