Stroke can occur when a poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death. It is the no.5 cause of death in America and the leading cause of disability. There are two types of stroke: ischemic, caused by narrowing or blockage in the arteries which leads to the brain, and hemorrhagic, caused by reduced blood flow.

When the blood vessel that carries nutrients to the brain is ruptured by a clot or blocked, a part of the brain can’t get blood and oxygen that it needs to function and that consequently leads to cell death. The brain is a complex organ that controls numerous functions in the body, so when a stroke occurs and there is reduced blood flow to a certain part of the brain, some part or parts of the body that the affected part of the brain controls are not able to function properly.

Identifying the symptoms of stroke is very important in order to prevent the condition or get medical help on time so as to minimize the brain damage. This is also going to lower the risk of disability. According to the experts, the symptoms of stroke can vary from one person to another and depend on the type of stroke, the severity of the damage and the part of the brain affected. However, all stroke symptoms have one thing in common – they always occur suddenly.

Here are the most common symptoms of the condition:

Complete or partial paralysis;
Numbness in the left arm, leg or left side of the face;
Trouble speaking and understanding other people speaking;
Losing consciousness often;
Trouble seeing on one or both eyes;
Hiccups;
Dizziness;
Breathing problems;
Pain;
Epileptic attacks;
Hallucinations;
Personality changes.