Symptoms of a stroke

The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word FAST:

  • Face: the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile, or their mouth or eye may have dropped
  • Arms: the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm
  • Speech: their speech may be slurred or garbled, or the person may not be able to talk at all despite appearing to be awake; they may also have problems understanding what you're saying to them
  • Time: it's time to dial 999 immediately if you see any of these signs or symptoms.

Feedback on this page