• Danielle Lance, 34, suffered a stroke in January 2022 after battling double ear infections.
• Doctors thought her dizziness was caused by an ear infection – until her right side went numb.
• Loss of balance, face drooping, and arm numbness may indicate a possible stroke.

Danielle Lance, a paramedic and mother of four, was recovering from a nasty double ear infection when her symptoms worsened.

The 34-year-old woke up groggy after a long shift in late January. WakeMed Sounds, A blog related to a hospital system based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

That dizziness continued into the next day, when Lance woke up unable to move her right side. In the WakeMed emergency room, she felt weak and had trouble speaking. Soon, the specialty nurse recognized the signs of a possible stroke.

Stroke symptoms It may include sudden loss of balance or coordination, eye or vision changes, facial droop, arm numbness or weakness, and slurred speech. Any of these symptoms should indicate that it’s time to call 911, completing the acronym for stroke symptoms, “Be quick.”

Stroke symptoms Ear infections share some common symptoms and may not always be obvious. According to WakeMed, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea can be caused by a stroke, ear infection, or a number of other illnesses.

However, early diagnosis and treatment of stroke can make a big difference in the patient’s eventual recovery.

She was numb on one side and had difficulty walking.

After waking up sick that morning in January, Lance said she continued to feel dizzy throughout the day. Soon her right side was shaking and she had difficulty walking. Her husband took her to a nearby emergency room, where doctors diagnosed her with a cold and an ear exam and sent her home – she already knew.

The next morning, Lance said she couldn’t move on her right side. She returned to the ER, this time on the WakeMed Raleigh campus, and was admitted with the help of hospital staff.

When a nurse found out that Lance Symptoms can be stroke., the care team swung into action to diagnose and treat her. They ordered a CT scan and quickly diagnosed her with an ischemic stroke, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted.

A stroke can be caused by a blood clot traveling to the brain from another part of the body, or by sudden bleeding in the brain, they say. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Risk factors for stroke include high blood pressure, heart disease, smoking and taking certain medications, eg Birth control pills.

She recovered well with physical therapy.

Within an hour, Lance was rushed into surgery to stop the stroke. Doctors removed the clot from her brain. This is one way of treating stroke.

In other cases, a stroke can be treated with blood-thinning drugs, or the offending blood clot may go away on its own.

The young mother needed a month and a half of speech, occupational and physical therapy to recover. According to Wake Med, Lance was able to return to work in July — earlier than expected — due to her rapid progress.

That was her right arm Paralyzed by strokeIt’s still a little weak compared to the left. Sometimes she has trouble opening and carrying things; She said her speech and short-term memory are not what they were before the stroke.

Still, Lance said she’s grateful to be back at work and reunited with her family.