Kochi“There was little difference in speech; one side was exhausted in the evening” …

The renowned neurosurgeon and senior consultant at VPS Lakeshore Hospital, Kochi, Dr. Arun Oommen. On World Stroke Day (October 29), he draws attention to the extremely dangerous situation. He makes it clear that as a neurosurgeon, such situations are often seen.

Sometimes what is more dangerous than the disease is our delay in seeking treatment.

Stroke often warns. But he also explains that sometimes a life's freedom is lost when that warning goes unrecognized, including the symptoms of a stroke.

Below is the full text of the Facebook post -

A moment's delay… a lifetime of exhaustion! Why is every minute worth it in case of a stroke?

October 29 — World Stroke Day

Message for this year (2026): “Every minute is crucial!"( Every M1nute Counts)

──

“Doctor, there was a slight difference in speech since morning. He told me to go to bed thinking he was tired. One side was exhausted in the evening!”

As a neurosurgeon, such situations are often seen.

Do you know what is the most painful thing here?

Sometimes what is more dangerous than the disease is our delay in seeking treatment!

Stroke often warns. But what is lost when that warning goes unrecognized is sometimes the freedom of a life!

Why is every minute crucial?

A stroke is when the blood flow to the brain is interrupted or the blood vessel is broken and there is bleeding.

The nerve cells rapidly begin to die without receiving oxygen in the stroke in which the blood vessel is closed.

Millions of nerve cells may be lost every minute that treatment is delayed.

Remember...

Loss of time can be not only the ability to speak, the freedom to walk, and the ability to live on your own!

Six Alerts to Identify Stroke!

Remember these.- BEFAST

B — Balance: Balance of the body - difficulty in walking quickly, loss of balance.

E — Eyes: Vision - Sudden vision loss or double vision.

F — Face: Face - Cross one side of the face when smiling.

A — Arms: Hand - Sudden weakness or numbness in one hand.

S — Speech: Speech - Words bubble up, difficulty speaking or understanding.

T — Time: Time - Seek immediate medical attention if you see one of these

Sudden abnormal severe headaches can also be a warning of stroke.

Not all symptoms need to come together!

What to do if stroke is suspected?

Call an ambulance immediately.( 108)

Get to the appropriate hospital with stroke treatment as soon as possible with the help of an ambulance system. Time is also crucial in deciding which hospital to go to.”

Enter the time of onset of symptoms accurately. If you notice symptoms when you wake up, report the last normal time.

Go to the hospital even if symptoms change!

Only five minutes left... and all is well! Don't assume the accident is over!

Temporarily disrupted blood flow may be a warning of an upcoming major stroke. This is called transient ischemic attack ( TIA).

What not to do if you have a stroke?

• Do not wait for the symptoms to go away on their own.

• Do not waste time by allowing the patient to sleep.

• Do not give water, food or tablets by mouth.

• Do not give aspirin without doctor's advice. It can be dangerous in a stroke caused by bleeding.

• Do not water or vigorously shake the face.

• Swelling of the limbs and applying oil is not a treatment.

• Do not try to lower blood pressure yourself.

• Do not allow the patient to drive on their own.

Remember, wasting time on home remedies and waiting is a precious time to save the brain!

Hope for treatment?

Absolutely.

Thrombolysis may be given within the first four and a half hours in some patients.

Thrombectomy may be useful for up to twenty-four hours in selected patients.

But these treatments are not suitable for everyone. Testing and brain imaging are essential.

So don't wait until the treatment deadline is over!

Remember… time is not just time in a stroke. It's the brain, it's life!

Can a person with a stroke walk again? Can talk, can do things on their own?

Sometimes the answer depends on how fast we work!

What would you do first if someone suddenly collapsed in front of you?

Will you give water? Will you touch your face? Will you wait for some time?

Or seek immediate medical attention?

Every minute is critical in a stroke! A timely decision can save a life and a family's future!

You may be able to save the life of a stroke patient tomorrow by reading this article. So don't limit yourself to this knowledge, share it!

Dr. Arun Oommen

Neurosurgeon

# WorldStrokeDay2026 # EveryMinuteCounts # ActFAST # StrokeAwareness # BrainHealth # SaveLives # VPSlakeshorehospital