There has been a 40% decrease in Emergency Department visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients are concerned about going to the Emergency Department due to the potential of being around all those “sick people.”

There are times however that patients MUST go to the emergency department for serious illness. If you are exhibiting any of the following signs, SEEK EMERGENCY CARE IMMEDIATELY.

The best way to describe a stroke is a “brain attack”, where the brain gets deprived of blood supply. If a patient exhibits the signs and symptoms listed below, call immediately for emergency care. Once a patient gets to the hospital, one hour is needed to determine whether the interruption in blood supply is due to a blood clot (occlusive) or a ruptured blood vessel (hemorrhagic). For hemorrhagic strokes up to 50% of people can die in the first year.

Occlusive strokes can be treated with a “clot buster” to unplug the vessel and restore circulation. However, the clot buster can only be administered within 3 hours of the onset of symptoms. Therefore, it is urgent to seek emergency care immediately.

• B -Balance: sudden loss of balance, headache, or dizziness
• E -Eyes: trouble seeing out of one or both eyes
• F -Face: Uneven smile or expression, facial droop, or numbness in the face
• A -Arms: weakness, numbness, one arm drifts down
• S -Speech: slurred, mute, inappropriate words, or strange speech
• T- Time: seek help immediately. Immediately call 9-1-1.

We have BEFAST flyers available at all Nickman’s locations. We recommend you tape it to your refrigerator, so everyone can learn these lifesaving symptoms of a stroke. Remember to seek help immediately!