What are the signs of a stroke?

• A. Fever with chills
• B. Chronic cough
• C. Mild headache that resolves quickly
• D. Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body.

Answer: (D)

Stroke signs show up suddenly because brain tissue loses its blood supply right away, so the body’s functions controlled by the affected brain area drop quickly. A key sign is sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, which happens because the brain controls the opposite side of the body. This can involve the face, arm, or leg and is typically abrupt and persistent. Other important signs include trouble speaking or understanding speech, confusion, trouble seeing, dizziness or loss of balance, and a severe headache with no known cause. These symptoms require immediate emergency care, so call for help right away.

The other options aren’t typical stroke signs: fever with chills suggests infection, a chronic cough points to a respiratory issue, and a mild headache that goes away quickly doesn’t match the abrupt, lasting neurological changes a stroke causes.