How can you tell if it’s a stroke? One way is
to know that symptoms start
suddenly
—and
you need to react just as fast. Call 911 right
away if you or someone nearby displays any of
these signs:
Sudden
numbness or weakness of the face,
arm or leg.
Sudden
confusion or trouble speaking or
understanding.
Sudden
trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
Sudden
trouble walking or loss of balance
or coordination.
Sudden
severe headache with no known
cause.
A clot-busting drug can often help people
recover their abilities after a stroke. But it
must be given within three hours of the rst
symptom to work best. So check the time and
remember when symptoms began.
Sources: American Heart Association; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Glaucoma:
Save your sight
Our eyes have this fact in common:
We need to keep them healthy to see.
What is glaucoma?
It is a group
of eye conditions that can harm the
tiny nerves that send signals from our
eyes to our brain, which is how we
see. Unless it is treated, glaucoma can
cause people to lose much of their
vision or even go blind.
Eye health matters.
When
glaucoma is found early, treatments
help. Check with your Provider to
nd out when and how often to have
your eyes checked.
Glaucoma most often starts slowly.
But there’s also a type of glaucoma
that can cause blindness in a day or
two if it isn’t treated. Get medical
help right away for signs like these:
Bad eye pain or red eyes.
Blurred vision.
Seeing colored rings around lights.
Sources: American Optometric Association; National Eye Institute
Why do you need a Pap test?
A Pap test can save a woman’s life.
It can find early signs of cancer in the cervix.
Even better, a Pap test can help prevent cancer.
Most women should have regular Pap tests
starting at age 21.
Some things can cause wrong test results.
To be sure your next Pap test is accurate:
Have the test when you don’t have your
period.
Try to be tested 10 to 20 days after
the first day of your last period.
Also, for two days before your
Pap test:
Don’t have sex.
Don’t use tampons.
Don’t use any kind of vaginal
douche, cream or medicine.
Schedule your test today.
Contact your Provider.
Source: Office on Women’s Health
staying healthy
TAKE ACTION
Need to
know more about your eye
health benefits? Give VSP
Customer Service a call at
800-877-7195
/TTY
800-428-4833
.
You can also check out
.
We’ve moved!
e Gold Coast
Health Plan o ce
has moved to 711 E.
Daily Drive, #106,
Camarillo, CA
93010-6082 as of
April 7.
Stroke: 5 sudden signs
winning
health
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