Health

Some neurological signs are the expression of an emergency, others are warning signs: something has happened… You can react yourself or help someone close to you if you recognize these symptoms.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A NEUROLOGICAL SIGN?

Any unusual sudden, transient or prolonged symptom may be a sign of a neurological medical emergency, requiring rapid medical care. But be careful, the complete regression of the signs, if it occurs, should not falsely reassure.

WHAT ARE THESE SYMPTOMS?

• Severe headache.
• Pain on both sides of the head (as if in a vice) or in the neck.
• Visual disturbances.
• Temporary loss of vision in one or both eyes.
• Swallowing problems.
• Feeling of a blockage in the throat.
• Language and expression disorders.
• Difficulty expressing words or making sounds.
• Facial paralysis.
• One or more muscles of the face. Eye, mouth. One or both sides.
• Paralysis of the limbs.
• Lower or upper limbs. One or both sides.
• Dizziness.
• Feeling of insecurity, blurred vision, ringing in the ears.
• Syncope.
• Fall with loss of consciousness.
• Convulsive seizure.
• Fall with involuntary contraction of muscles and jerky movements.
• Coma.
• Fall with total loss of consciousness.

These symptoms can be isolated or associated with each other. They can also be associated with other symptoms such as:

• Nausea,
• Vomiting,
• Sweating,
• Palor.

HOW TO ACT?

If you are affected and conscious: call the emergency services or go to a hospital emergency department as soon as possible. Preferably have someone accompany you.

If you notice these symptoms in a person: call the emergency services. Avoid transporting the person yourself, especially if they are barely or not conscious.

In many cases, rapid medical care increases the chances of recovery and reduces the risk of after-effects.

WHO TO CALL IN AN EMERGENCY?

Several numbers are available to you in the event of a medical emergency.
SAMU (15): Live response.
FIREFIGHTERS (18): Live response.
EMERGENCY (112): Centralized service. European number to be used preferably from a mobile phone. Your call will be directed to one of the nearest emergency services.

HOW TO CALL EMERGENCY?

The effectiveness of the emergency response depends on the accuracy of your call. Be calm, precise and let the person you are talking to ask you questions. Never hang up first. Stay tuned to the person you are talking to and wait for their instructions. If you have some first aid knowledge, put the sick person in a safe position.
Always go to an emergency service. Only medical personnel, particularly emergency doctors from mobile units (SAMU, SMUR, etc.) and hospital emergency doctors, are authorized to refer you to a specialized service. The main approach is to take care of the patient as quickly as possible in order to avoid complications or endangering their vital prognosis.