• Sudden NUMBNESS or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden CONFUSION, trouble speaking or understanding speech
• Sudden TROUBLE SEEING in one or both eyes
• Sudden TROUBLE WALKING, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden SEVERE HEADACHE with no known cause

If someone shows any of these symptoms, immediately call 9-1-1 or emergency medical services.

F.A.S.T. is an easy way to remember the sudden signs and symptoms of stroke. Learn more about F.A.S.T.

• Posterior circulations strokes (a stroke that occurs in the back part of the brain) occurs when a blood vessel in the back part of the brain is blocked causing the death of brain cells (called an infarction) in the area of the blocked blood vessel. This type of stroke can also be caused by a ruptured blood vessel in the back part of the brain. When this type of stroke happens several symptoms occur and they can be very different than the symptoms that occur in the blood circulation to the front part of the brain (called anterior circulation strokes).
  

  Symptoms include:

  • Vertigo, like the room, is spinning.
  • Imbalance
  • One-sided arm or leg weakness.
  • Slurred speech or dysarthria
  • Double vision or other vision problems
  • A headache
  • Nausea and or vomiting