Which Doctor to Consult for Sudden Weakness or Numbness on One Side?

Introduction

Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body — whether in the face, arm, hand, or leg — is one of the most alarming symptoms a person can experience. It demands immediate medical attention, not a wait-and-watch approach. Every minute without treatment in a stroke can mean permanent loss of brain tissue.

This guide explains clearly which doctor to consult when you or someone near you develops sudden one-sided weakness or numbness, why this is always treated as an emergency until proven otherwise, and what you can expect at PACE Hospitals, Hyderabad.

Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body is a medical emergency. Visit an Emergency Department immediately or call emergency services because it may be a stroke or mini-stroke. A Neurologist or Stroke specialist should evaluate urgently. Do not wait for an OPD appointment, especially if symptoms include facial drooping, slurred speech, confusion, severe headache, vision loss, dizziness, or difficulty walking.

When weakness or numbness comes on suddenly and affects only one side of the body — the face, arm, hand, or leg — it points to a problem in the brain or nervous system, not a localised muscle or joint issue.

The brain is divided into two hemispheres. Each hemisphere controls movement and sensation for the opposite side of the body. When blood flow to one part of the brain is suddenly interrupted — or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures — the result is sudden, one-sided neurological symptoms.

The most serious cause is a stroke, often called a brain attack, which requires immediate medical attention. A transient ischaemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke, can cause the same symptoms, but they usually go away within a few minutes to a few hours. Even if the symptoms improve, a TIA should never be ignored, as it can be an early warning sign of a major stroke that may occur within hours or days.

Other causes that require urgent evaluation include:

• Brain haemorrhage (bleeding in or around the brain)
• Brain tumour causing localised pressure
• Severe migraine with aura (hemiplegic migraine)
• Multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse
• Hypoglycaemia (very low blood sugar) — particularly in diabetics
• Todd's paralysis following a seizure
• Complex partial seizures
• Cervical myelopathy (spinal cord compression in the neck)

Regardless of the underlying cause, sudden one-sided weakness or numbness must be evaluated as a stroke emergency until imaging and clinical assessment confirm otherwise. Do not assume it is due to posture, sleeping position, stress, anxiety, or vitamin deficiency — that determination can only be made safely after emergency assessment.

Time is brain. This is not a slogan — it is a clinical reality.

During an ischaemic stroke, approximately 1.9 million brain cells are lost every minute that blood flow is not restored. This means that delays in seeking emergency care directly translate into greater brain damage, more severe disability, and reduced chances of recovery.

The most effective stroke treatment — intravenous thrombolysis (clot-dissolving medicine) — must be administered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset in eligible patients. Mechanical thrombectomy (clot removal via catheter) may be performed within 6 to 24 hours depending on imaging findings. Both treatments are only possible if the patient reaches an emergency facility quickly.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the stroke treatments that work best are available only if the stroke is recognised and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. The CDC explicitly states: "Call emergency services right away if you or someone else has any stroke symptoms."

In India, stroke is a major health problem and is reported as the fourth leading cause of death and the fifth leading cause of disability in studies published in medical journals. Research shows that about 108 to 172 people per 100,000 population per year are affected by stroke, and the death rate within one month after a stroke ranges from 18% to 42%. It is also important to note that nearly 20% of first-time hospitalised stroke cases occur in people under 40 years of age, which shows that stroke is not only a disease of older adults but can also affect younger people.

Do not wait. Do not try home remedies. Do not assume the symptoms will pass. Go to an emergency department immediately.

The Emergency Physician is the first doctor you need. This is not an OPD consultation — this is an Emergency Department visit.

Emergency Physicians are trained to:

• Rapidly assess and stabilise the patient
• Activate the stroke team or stroke alert protocol
• Order and interpret urgent CT brain scans to identify whether the stroke is ischaemic (clot) or haemorrhagic (bleeding)
• Assess eligibility for thrombolysis (clot-dissolving treatment)
• Manage blood pressure, blood sugar, oxygenation, and airway
• Coordinate with the Neurologist or Neurosurgeon immediately

At a stroke-ready hospital, the target is to have a CT scan performed and a thrombolysis decision made within 60 minutes of hospital arrival (Door-to-Needle time). Every minute saved improves outcomes.

The Emergency Physician is your most important first contact. Bypass general practitioners, pharmacy consultations, or telemedicine calls for this symptom — go directly to the Emergency Department.

A Neurologist or Stroke Specialist (a Neurologist with subspecialty training in stroke neurology) takes charge of the patient's care after initial stabilisation in the Emergency Department, and is involved in:

• Confirming the diagnosis of stroke, TIA, or an alternative diagnosis
• Reading MRI brain with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to identify the area and extent of brain injury
• Deciding on thrombolysis and coordinating mechanical thrombectomy if indicated
• Identifying the stroke type: ischaemic (clot-related) or haemorrhagic (bleed-related)
• Identifying stroke cause: large vessel disease, small vessel disease, cardioembolism, or unknown origin
• Initiating secondary prevention treatment (anti-platelet agents, anticoagulants, statin therapy)
• Managing complications such as brain swelling, seizures, or aspiration pneumonia
• Guiding the rehabilitation plan

For TIA patients, the American Heart Association recommends neurologist evaluation within 48 hours but no later than one week following the event. However, given that stroke risk is highest in the first 48 hours after a TIA, emergency evaluation is strongly preferred.

Even if symptoms have resolved by the time the patient reaches hospital, a Neurologist must evaluate the patient to identify the underlying cause and prevent a future stroke.

A Neurosurgeon is involved when the cause of sudden one-sided weakness is a structural or surgically treatable brain emergency, including:

• Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH): Spontaneous brain bleeding, often related to high blood pressure. Surgery may be required to evacuate large haematomas causing brain compression.
• Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH): Bleeding in the space around the brain, often from a ruptured aneurysm. Emergency surgery or endovascular coiling is required.
• Large hemispheric ischaemic stroke with brain swelling: Decompressive craniectomy (surgical removal of a skull segment to relieve pressure) may be life-saving in selected patients.
• Subdural or epidural haematoma: Blood collection outside brain tissue following trauma may require emergency surgical evacuation.
• Brain tumour presenting acutely: If a mass lesion is causing sudden neurological deficits, neurosurgical evaluation is needed.

The Emergency Physician and Neurologist will identify if neurosurgical intervention is needed and involve the Neurosurgeon immediately.

The heart and brain are closely connected in stroke risk. A Cardiologist or Internal Medicine specialist is involved when:

• Atrial fibrillation (AF): Irregular heart rhythm is found in approximately 7% of TIA and stroke patients. AF causes blood clots to form in the heart, which can travel to the brain. An ECG or cardiac monitoring is essential.
• Heart valve disease: Diseased heart valves can generate clots that reach the brain.
• Recent heart attack: Clots can form on the heart muscle wall after a myocardial infarction and embolise to the brain.
• High blood pressure (hypertension): Uncontrolled BP is the single most important modifiable risk factor for stroke. It requires long-term management by an Internal Medicine specialist or Cardiologist.
• Diabetes mellitus: Diabetes significantly increases stroke risk by damaging blood vessels. Management requires an Endocrinologist or Internal Medicine specialist.
• High cholesterol (dyslipidaemia): Elevated LDL cholesterol accelerates arterial plaque formation and increases stroke risk.
• Patent foramen ovale (PFO): A small hole between the heart chambers, present in some adults, can allow clots to pass to the brain. Cardiological evaluation and possible closure may be required.

After a stroke or TIA, the patient should receive a cardiac workup — including ECG, echocardiogram, and Holter monitoring — as recommended by the American Heart Association.

Stroke vs TIA: Why Both Need Urgent Care?

The FAST test is a simple, widely validated tool used globally to identify stroke symptoms. It was developed to help both the public and healthcare providers act quickly.

• F — Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? An uneven smile is a warning sign.
• A — Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward or fail to lift? This indicates one-sided arm weakness.
• S — Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. Is the speech slurred, garbled, or absent? Can they understand what is said to them?
• T — Time: If you see ANY ONE of these signs, call emergency services immediately. Note the time symptoms began.

The CDC emphasises: "If you think someone may be having a stroke, act FAST." The Stroke Association (UK) notes that even just one of the FAST signs — Face OR Arm OR Speech — is enough to call emergency services at once.

Beyond FAST, the American Stroke Association notes additional warning signs: sudden severe headache, sudden vision problems, sudden dizziness, sudden loss of balance, and sudden confusion.

Sudden Facial Drooping

Drooping of one side of the face — causing an uneven or lopsided smile — is one of the most recognisable signs of stroke. It occurs because the motor cortex on one side of the brain controls the facial muscles on the opposite side. When blood flow is disrupted, the facial muscles on that side lose control.

Facial drooping in stroke is different from Bell's palsy (a peripheral facial nerve condition) in that stroke also causes arm weakness, slurred speech, and other neurological signs. However, do not attempt to differentiate at home — go to Emergency.

Sudden Arm or Leg Weakness

Sudden weakness in one arm or one leg — occurring without injury or exertion — is a hallmark stroke symptom. The person may find it difficult or impossible to lift their arm, grip an object, or walk normally on the affected leg.

A simple bedside test can help identify a possible stroke. Ask the person to lift both arms up to shoulder level and hold them for about 10 seconds with their eyes closed. In a stroke, one arm may slowly drift down or the person may not be able to lift it properly due to weakness (hemiparesis).

Leg weakness may also be a warning sign and can appear as dragging one leg while walking, sudden inability to stand, or falling towards one side.

Sudden Numbness with Slurred Speech

The combination of one-sided numbness or tingling with slurred speech (dysarthria) or difficulty finding or understanding words (aphasia) is a highly specific stroke warning. These symptoms occurring together, or even independently, without any prior warning, must be treated as a stroke emergency.

Slurred speech in stroke may sound like the person is intoxicated, cannot form words, speaks in incomplete sentences, or cannot understand what is being said to them. Do not dismiss it.

Sudden Weakness with Severe Headache

A sudden, severe headache — often described as "the worst headache of my life" — occurring alongside one-sided weakness or numbness is a warning sign of subarachnoid haemorrhage or hypertensive intracerebral haemorrhage. This combination is a neurological emergency requiring immediate CT scan and neurosurgical evaluation.

Do not wait for pain relief to take effect. Go to Emergency immediately.

Sudden Weakness with Vision Problems

Vision disturbances occurring with one-sided weakness include:

• Loss of vision in one eye (amaurosis fugax) — often a sign of carotid artery disease or TIA
• Loss of the same half of the visual field in both eyes (hemianopia)
• Double vision (diplopia)
• Blurred or greyed-out vision

These vision symptoms signal involvement of the brain's visual pathways or the ophthalmic artery. They must be assessed urgently in Emergency, not in an eye clinic's OPD.

Sudden Weakness in Diabetic or BP Patients

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) or high blood pressure (hypertension) are at significantly higher risk for stroke and TIA. For these patients, sudden one-sided weakness or numbness deserves even greater urgency:

• Diabetes: Very low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) can mimic stroke symptoms. Emergency evaluation is needed to check blood glucose AND rule out stroke simultaneously. Do not assume it is "just low sugar."
• High BP: Hypertensive crisis can cause brain haemorrhage. Uncontrolled blood pressure over years causes small vessel disease in the brain, leading to lacunar strokes.
• Known heart disease or atrial fibrillation: Significantly increases risk of cardioembolic stroke.

If you or someone close has diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol, or a prior history of stroke or TIA, any new sudden neurological symptom — however brief — is an Emergency Department visit, not an OPD appointment.

The Emergency Physician and Neurologist will order tests rapidly in the Emergency Department. The goal is to confirm the diagnosis, identify stroke type, and determine treatment eligibility as quickly as possible.

Urgent Imaging

• Non-contrast CT scan of brain: The first test performed. Quickly identifies brain bleeding (haemorrhagic stroke) and rules out other causes. A normal CT does not exclude early ischaemic stroke.
• MRI brain with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI): More sensitive than CT for identifying ischaemic stroke, even within minutes of onset. Shows the exact area and size of brain injury.
• CT angiography (CTA) or MR angiography (MRA): Imaging of brain and neck arteries to identify blocked or narrowed vessels, large vessel occlusions, or aneurysms.
• CT perfusion or MR perfusion: Advanced imaging to identify salvageable brain tissue, helping guide mechanical thrombectomy decisions in late-window patients.

Blood Tests

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Blood glucose (immediate — to rule out hypoglycaemia)
• Coagulation profile (PT, aPTT, INR)
• Serum electrolytes and renal function
• Lipid profile
• HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin)
• Cardiac biomarkers (troponin, BNP — to evaluate heart involvement)
• Thyroid function tests

Cardiac Evaluation

• Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG): To detect atrial fibrillation or other arrhythmias
• Echocardiogram (2D Echo): To evaluate heart structure, valve disease, and clot in the heart
• Holter monitor (24–48 hour ECG recording): To detect paroxysmal atrial fibrillation that may not appear on a single ECG
• Telemetry monitoring: Continuous heart rhythm monitoring during hospitalisation

Vascular Studies

• Carotid Doppler ultrasound: Non-invasive evaluation of carotid artery stenosis
• Transcranial Doppler (TCD): Ultrasound evaluation of blood flow in brain arteries

Additional Tests

• Chest X-ray
• Blood pressure monitoring (serial readings)
• Pulse oximetry
• EEG (if seizure activity is suspected)
• Lumbar puncture (if subarachnoid haemorrhage is suspected but CT is normal)
  

Treatment depends on the type of stroke or underlying cause identified. All treatment decisions are made by the medical team — do not take any medication including antiplatelets blood thinners, or blood pressure tablets without emergency doctor evaluation.

Ischaemic Stroke (Clot-Related)

• Intravenous thrombolysis: Clot-dissolving medicine is given through a vein (intravenous thrombolysis) within 4.5 hours of symptom onset in eligible patients. It helps reopen blocked blood vessels in the brain, restore blood flow, and can greatly improve recovery and long-term function.
• Mechanical thrombectomy: A catheter is guided through the blood vessels to the brain to physically remove the clot. Can be performed within 6 to 24 hours of symptom onset in selected patients with large vessel occlusions. Recommended in current AHA/ASA guidelines as the highest level of evidence for eligible patients.
• Dual antiplatelet therapy: After a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or a minor stroke, doctors may start dual antiplatelet therapy within 24 hours of symptom onset. This usually includes two medicines that help prevent blood clots and is continued for about 21 days to reduce the risk of another stroke.
• Anticoagulation: For cardioembolic stroke due to atrial fibrillation, anticoagulants prevent future strokes.
• Statin therapy: High-intensity statin treatment is initiated to reduce LDL cholesterol and stabilise arterial plaques.
• Blood pressure management: Careful BP control during the acute phase and long-term BP management for secondary prevention.

Haemorrhagic Stroke (Brain Bleed)

• Reversal of anticoagulants: If the patient is on blood thinners, reversal agents are used immediately.
• Blood pressure control: Intensive BP lowering to reduce ongoing bleeding.
• Surgical evacuation: Neurosurgical removal of large haematomas causing brain compression.
• Endovascular coiling or clipping: For ruptured aneurysms causing subarachnoid haemorrhage.
• Decompressive craniectomy: In severe cases of brain swelling, surgical removal of part of the skull may be life-saving.

TIA Management

• Urgent cardiac and vascular workup
• Dual antiplatelet therapy
• Anticoagulation if atrial fibrillation identified
• Carotid endarterectomy or stenting if significant carotid stenosis is found
• Aggressive risk factor management (BP, diabetes, cholesterol, smoking cessation)
• Rehabilitation after acute treatment

Recovery after stroke begins in the hospital:

• Physiotherapy: To restore movement, strength, balance, and mobility
• Occupational therapy: To regain ability to perform daily activities
• Speech therapy: For patients with speech, language, or swallowing difficulties
• Rehabilitation Medicine (Physiatry): A specialist who coordinates the overall rehabilitation plan
• Neuropsychology: For cognitive and emotional recovery after stroke

Early rehabilitation — beginning within 24–48 hours of stabilisation — is associated with better functional outcomes.

Do not wait if any of the following appear suddenly:

• Weakness or heaviness on one side of the face, arm, or leg
• Numbness or tingling on one side of the body
• Drooping of one side of the face — uneven smile
•  Slurred, garbled, or absent speech
• Difficulty finding words or understanding speech
• Severe, sudden headache with no clear cause 
• Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes
• Double vision or blurred vision
• Sudden dizziness or loss of balance
• Difficulty walking or sudden unexplained fall
• Confusion or disorientation
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizure followed by one-sided weakness
• Symptoms that appeared briefly and then resolved on their own
• [Any of the above occurring in a patient with known high BP, diabetes, heart disease, or prior stroke/TIA

Any single symptom from this list is enough to call emergency services immediately.

PACE Hospitals, Hyderabad, provides comprehensive stroke and neurology care through a dedicated, experienced multidisciplinary team:

• Neurologists with expertise in stroke neurology, TIA management, and acute brain emergencies
• Neurosurgeons for haemorrhagic stroke, aneurysm management, and surgical brain emergencies
• Emergency Medicine Physicians available around the clock for immediate assessment and stabilisation
• Cardiologists and Internal Medicine specialists for cardiac evaluation, atrial fibrillation management, and vascular risk factor control
• Radiologists with expertise in neuroimaging — CT, MRI, CT angiography, MR angiography
• Rehabilitation Medicine specialists, Physiotherapists, and Speech Therapists for post-stroke recovery

PACE Hospitals operates with a 24/7 Emergency Department equipped for stroke alerts, urgent neuroimaging, and time-sensitive thrombolysis and thrombectomy protocols.

• 24/7 Emergency Department with dedicated stroke alert protocols and round-the-clock neuroimaging availability
• Experienced Neurology and Neurosurgery team with expertise in stroke, TIA, brain haemorrhage, and complex neurological emergencies
• Advanced neuroimaging including CT, MRI, CT angiography, and MR angiography for rapid stroke diagnosis
• Interventional and surgical capabilities for mechanical thrombectomy, aneurysm coiling, and neurosurgical emergencies
• Comprehensive cardiac evaluation — ECG, 2D Echo, Holter monitoring — for cardioembolic stroke workup
• Integrated rehabilitation services — Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, and Rehabilitation Medicine
• Multidisciplinary care model ensuring seamless coordination between Emergency Medicine, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Cardiology, and Rehabilitation
• Patient and family-centred care with clear communication, education, and support throughout treatment and recovery

Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body — whether in the face, arm, or leg — is a medical emergency until proven otherwise. Go to an Emergency Department immediately. Do not wait, do not try home remedies, and do not assume it will pass.

An Emergency Physician is your first contact. A Neurologist or Stroke Specialist evaluates urgently after initial stabilisation. A Neurosurgeon is involved if brain bleeding or surgical emergency is confirmed. A Cardiologist or Internal Medicine specialist manages underlying cardiac and vascular risk factors.

Time is brain. Every minute without treatment means more brain cells lost. The sooner you reach a stroke-capable emergency facility, the better the chance of recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Sudden numbness on one side of the body — face, arm, hand, or leg — requires an emergency evaluation, not an outpatient visit. Go to an Emergency Department immediately. An Emergency Physician will assess and order urgent imaging, including a CT scan of the brain. A Neurologist will evaluate for stroke, TIA, or other neurological causes such as multiple sclerosis or hemiplegic migraine. If the numbness is gradual and longstanding rather than sudden, an outpatient Neurology consultation is appropriate, but sudden onset always warrants emergency assessment first.

Yes — but through an Emergency Department, not an OPD appointment. When numbness is sudden in onset, the first step is emergency assessment by an Emergency Physician who can quickly arrange a CT or MRI brain scan and rule out stroke or brain bleeding. A Neurologist is then urgently involved for diagnosis and management. Booking a routine Neurology OPD appointment for sudden-onset numbness is not appropriate and delays potentially life-saving treatment. If the numbness is gradual, mild, and has been present for days or weeks without other neurological symptoms, an outpatient Neurology consultation is the appropriate next step.

A transient ischaemic attack (TIA), often called a mini-stroke, is a brief episode of stroke-like symptoms caused by temporary interruption of blood flow to part of the brain. Symptoms — including one-sided weakness, numbness, slurred speech, or vision disturbance — resolve within minutes to hours, typically in under one hour, without lasting brain injury. However, a TIA is not a minor event. It is a serious warning sign that a full stroke may follow, often within 48 hours. According to the American Heart Association, approximately 12% of all strokes are preceded by TIAs. Emergency evaluation — including brain imaging, cardiac assessment, and vascular studies — is essential even if symptoms have completely resolved.

The Emergency Physician may order several urgent tests to find the cause of the symptoms and guide treatment. A non-contrast CT brain scan is usually performed first to check for bleeding in the brain. An MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging can help identify areas affected by an ischaemic stroke. CT angiography or MR angiography may be used to examine the arteries in the brain and neck. Blood tests often include glucose levels (to rule out hypoglycaemia), a complete blood count, coagulation profile, lipid profile, and cardiac markers. An ECG is performed to look for conditions such as atrial fibrillation. An echocardiogram and Holter monitor may be used to check the heart for possible sources of blood clots, while a carotid Doppler can assess narrowing of the carotid arteries. The tests recommended may vary depending on the patient's symptoms and the suspected underlying cause.

Yes. Urgent brain imaging is essential and cannot be skipped. A non-contrast CT brain is the standard first imaging test in any suspected stroke — it is fast and reliably identifies brain bleeding. However, CT may appear normal in early ischaemic stroke. MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is far more sensitive and can detect ischaemic stroke within minutes of onset. It is the preferred imaging study when CT is normal but symptoms strongly suggest stroke. In hospitals with thrombectomy capability, CT angiography is also performed to identify large vessel occlusions. All imaging is performed urgently in the Emergency Department — these are not elective or scheduled investigations.

Yes. Diabetes significantly increases the risk of stroke through multiple mechanisms: it damages blood vessel walls, accelerates atherosclerosis (arterial plaque build-up), promotes clot formation, and impairs the body's ability to restore blood flow after an event. Additionally, very low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia) can mimic stroke symptoms — causing weakness, confusion, and altered consciousness — particularly in insulin-dependent diabetics. In an emergency setting, blood glucose is checked immediately alongside brain imaging to address both possibilities simultaneously. Diabetic patients with sudden neurological symptoms must go to Emergency without delay, even if they suspect their symptoms are related to blood sugar fluctuation.

Treatment depends on the type of stroke. For ischaemic stroke (clot-related), intravenous thrombolysis may be given within 4.5 hours of symptom onset in eligible patients. This treatment helps dissolve the clot and restore blood flow to the affected part of the brain. Mechanical thrombectomy — catheter-based clot removal — can be performed within 6 to 24 hours for large vessel occlusions. For haemorrhagic stroke (brain bleed), treatment focuses on controlling bleeding, managing blood pressure, reversing anticoagulants, and surgical intervention if needed. Following acute treatment, secondary prevention with antiplatelet agents, anticoagulants, statins, and blood pressure control is initiated. Rehabilitation — physiotherapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy — begins as early as possible.

Yes, recovery is possible and is the goal of early, aggressive rehabilitation. The brain has a remarkable capacity for neuroplasticity — the ability to rewire connections and compensate for damaged areas. Recovery depends on the size and location of the stroke, how quickly treatment was received, the patient's age and overall health, and the intensity of rehabilitation. Some patients achieve significant or complete recovery; others may have lasting deficits. Early treatment (particularly within the thrombolysis or thrombectomy window) significantly improves the chance and degree of recovery. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy — beginning within 24 to 48 hours of stabilisation — are essential components of the recovery process.

Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body is not something that should be ignored or treated at home. It may be a warning sign of a stroke or another serious medical condition and needs urgent medical evaluation. Getting treatment as early as possible is important, as delays can increase the risk of permanent brain damage and may affect recovery.

The first doctor to see is an Emergency Physician in the Emergency Department, as immediate evaluation is important. A Neurologist or Stroke Specialist then assesses the patient to confirm the diagnosis and decide on treatment. A Neurosurgeon may be involved if there is bleeding in the brain or another condition requiring surgery. A Cardiologist or Internal Medicine specialist helps manage heart-related causes and other risk factors. After the initial treatment, Rehabilitation specialists, Physiotherapists, and Speech Therapists play an important role in supporting recovery and improving function.

Use the FAST test to recognise stroke warning signs in yourself or others. Call emergency services. Note the time symptoms began. Reach a stroke-capable facility without delay.

At PACE Hospitals, Hyderabad, our 24/7 Emergency and Neurology team is equipped and ready to provide time-sensitive, life-saving stroke care.