Beyond F.A.S.T.: Why These Subtle Signs Matter
You may be familiar with the F.A.S.T. acronym, a wonderful tool for remembering the most common stroke signs:
- F – Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.
- A – Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S – Speech Difficulty: Is speech slurred? Are they unable to speak or hard to understand?
- T – Time to call 911: If you see any of these signs, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and get to a hospital immediately.
F.A.S.T. is excellent, but it doesn’t cover all the bases. The nine hidden signs we’ve discussed are just as critical, especially when we consider early stroke signs after 55. Sometimes, these subtle symptoms are signs of a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), often called a “mini-stroke.”
A TIA is when blood flow to the brain is blocked for only a short time, usually no more than five minutes. The symptoms are temporary and resolve on their own. This is where the danger lies. Because the symptoms disappear, it is tempting to feel relief and do nothing. But a TIA is a massive warning sign. It means you are at very high risk of having a major, disabling stroke in the near future. Learning how to spot a silent stroke or a TIA gives you a crucial window of opportunity to seek medical care that could save your life.
