Sen. Chris Murphy recovers from stroke after noticing arm numbness
The Connecticut Democrat’s team says his prognosis is excellent after he sought immediate medical attention during a hockey game.
By Nadia Singh ·
Sen. Chris Murphy suffered a stroke on Saturday.
His office announced that the 53-year-old Democrat from Connecticut is in good health with an excellent prognosis.
Murphy experienced the symptoms while attending his son’s hockey game.
His staff reported that he felt numbness in his arm, a primary indicator of a stroke.
He acted quickly to seek medical care, a step his team said was vital to his recovery.
The American Stroke Association promotes the acronym BE FAST to help the public identify warning signs.
The letters stand for Balance loss, Eye changes, Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 911.
Loss of balance, dizziness, or trouble walking are signs of the B component.
Eye changes include blurred vision, double vision, or sudden loss of sight in one eye.
Face drooping occurs when one side of the face goes numb or the smile becomes uneven.
Arm weakness involves numbness or an inability to keep an arm raised.
Speech difficulty can appear as slurred words or trouble repeating a simple sentence, per the association's guidance on the S and A components. The T component urges calling 911 immediately upon noticing these symptoms. Quick medical attention gives patients the best chance for survival and limits permanent brain damage. A stroke occurs when an artery blocks blood flow or a blood vessel bursts. Brain tissue loses oxygen and can suffer permanent damage. This leads to long-term disability or death. Other symptoms include severe headaches, confusion, and one-sided numbness. The American Heart Association states that stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. More than 162,000 people died from the condition in 2023.
