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Often, first responders use the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS), where they ask you to: Then, they'll do a quick check to look for signs of stroke. They start by making sure you're breathing and you have a pulse. When the ambulance shows up, they're going to act fast. What you can do is make sure the front door is unlocked for medical workers and loosen any clothes around your neck or chest so you can breathe easily. Still, you're much more likely to get the care you need if you wait for the ambulance. As the minutes tick by, new symptoms may set in. It might seem like forever, but the best thing you can do is sit tight. While you wait, don't be tempted to drive yourself or someone having a stroke to the emergency room. When you make the call, say, "I think it's a stroke." That lets the 911 dispatcher know to act quickly and get an ambulance to you right away. And don't call your doctor or family members first. Any one of those three signs - face drooping, arm weakness, and trouble talking - means someone needs to call 911. In seconds, you go from totally fine to totally not. Or you're in the middle of a sentence when you start slurring your words. Or sitting at your desk and realize you can't budge your arm to answer the phone. You might be grabbing milk from the fridge and suddenly your face feels funny. That's what leads to the first symptoms you have, which can seem like some part of your brain quickly went offline. Once a stroke begins, you lose almost 2 million brain cells every minute.
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No matter which one it is, it's not long before brain cells start to die. Or it can happen with a burst blood vessel, as with a hemorrhagic stroke. That could be due to a clot, known as an ischemic stroke. The First Few MinutesĪ stroke comes on when your brain doesn't get the blood and oxygen it needs. You'll be better prepared to take the right steps for yourself or someone close to you. That's why it helps to know how a stroke unfolds. If you're having a stroke, what happens next - and how fast - makes all the difference in how you'll recover. Or you can't lift your arm because it feels like lead.