What Happens Immediately Following a Stroke?

What happens immediately following a stroke?

A stroke is a medical emergency.

It is a condition where the blood supply to the brain suddenly becomes interrupted.

As a result, the brain lacks oxygen in particular which leads to the death of its tissues.

Now, depending on which part of the brain has been affected, the symptoms that are seen will vary.

Facial Weakness
The weakness of the arms or legs;
- and thus the inability to walk; or leaning to the side when sitting
Slurred or dragging speech, or inability to speak;
Other symptoms may be confusion, problems with swallowing and understanding other people’s speech.

They can be classified in many ways especially depending on the part of the brain that is affected.

Another way is by the nature of the stroke – major or minor.

A minor stroke is also known as a TIA.

A TIA carries less damage than a major one and its effects disappear within 24 hours.

But a TIA is very important, as it may predict a major occurring soon in the same person thus should never be ignored.

In the graphic on this page, we display some common events that lead to a stroke; and what happens immediately after.

Also, you learn the signs to look out for and when to seek urgent medical help.