This week is Survive A Stroke Week, and one doctor is weighing in on what you should look out for.
Dr. Susan Law helped treat a Brooklyn man who is currently on the road to recovery after suffering a stroke four months ago. Patient Orin Thomas says he didn’t understand its severity until he was incapacitated to the point where his entire left side of his body went weak.
"It's a moment in my life that I really don't want to go through again… I had a severe headache first and then I experienced weakness on the left side of my body, and I knew something was wrong,” said Thomas, who says his stroke was onset by a number of underlying health issues like high blood sugar.
Law says that Thomas’ swift action in getting to a hospital was the difference between life and death, adding that every four seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke and that one American dies from a stroke every four minutes.
She says the major signs to look out for when you think you may be experiencing a stroke are weakness in the face, arm, or leg, as well as speech impairment. Other atypical symptoms include blurred vision, lack of balance, and a headache.
Dr. Law says strokes can be caused by high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and uncontrolled diabetes.
As Thomas continues his road to recovery, he says he wants to use his experience to raise awareness, hoping he can save a life.
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