A "sudden, severe headache" causing a "blinding pain unlike anything experienced before" could be a sign of stroke.
The FAST test is widely known thanks to a Public Health England and Stroke Association campaign urging people to 'Act FAST' to improve chances of survival and recovery. Face weakness, arm weakness or numbness, and speech problems are present in most cases of stroke, indicating the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, which kills brain cells. But strokes can occur with different symptoms, meaning some could go undetected until damage is done.
Stroke is the fifth biggest cause of death and disability in the UK, with 1.3 million survivors in the UK, half of whom are dependent on others for daily tasks. Despite one stroke occurring every five minutes, half of people in the North West of England don't realise it's one of the top killers, three quarters don't realise strokes can affect hearing, and two thirds don't realise stroke survivors can have vision problems and fatigue, according to a new survey from the Stroke Association.
