May is Stroke Awareness Month

  Crebrovascular Disease (stroke) is the fourth leading cause of death in Dare County. Stroke can happen to anyone at any time, regardless of race, sex or age. National Stroke Awareness Month (May) is a great time to learn about the risk factors of stroke as well as signs and symptoms of this “brain attach“, which is the leading cause of adult disability.

  There are several risk factors that may be controllable in order to prevent the occurrence of a stroke. Hypertension (high blood pressure). poor diet, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, high cholesterol, physical inactivity and obesity are a few of the leading causes of stroke. Families can reduce their risks by developing healthy habits such as eating a healthy diet and getting physical activity daily.

  In addition, developing healthy lifestyle habits, recognizing symptoms and taking quick steps to get medical attention can save your life and limit disabilities. The National Stroke Association identifies the following as the warning signs of stroke:

  – Sudden numbness of weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body

  – 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

  A siimple test to help detect stroke symptoms follows;

  – F = FACE – Ask the person to smile. Does the side of the face droop?

  – A = ARM – Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

  – S = SPEECH – Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Does the speech sound slurred or strange?

  – T = TIME – If you observe any of these signs, it’s time to call 9-1-1. Every second counts.

  For more information on how to develop healthy lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of stroke, contact Laura Willingham, health education supervisor, at the Dare County Department of Public Health at 475-5079.