They say that the tongue is now the 4th indicator of blood clots or stroke. A neurologist had said that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours, he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke…totally. The trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. So, how do we recognize a stroke? Oftentimes, the symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify and the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Just remember the ‘3′ steps, STR.
S - Ask the individual to SMILE.
T - Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE, coherently. (i.e. It is sunny out today.)
R - Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.
If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call a doctor or 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
But here is a new sign of a stroke—Stick out Your Tongue! It may look or sound funny but let him do it anyway. Ask the person to ’stick’ out his tongue. If the tongue is ‘crooked’, or if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.
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