Medical Articles
If You Have a Cerebral Infarction
21.06.2026
When you hear the term “cerebral infarction,” you might imagine a condition where you suddenly lose consciousness and experience paralysis in your limbs. However, cerebral infarction symptoms can range from mild to severe. The symptoms that appear vary depending on the location and extent of the brain damage.
The most common symptom of a cerebral infarction is paralysis on either the right or left side of the body. You may suddenly lose strength in your arms and legs, find yourself tripping easily, or notice that you are dragging one leg. Other symptoms may include slurred speech, difficulty understanding what others are saying, or seeing double.
If a cerebral infarction occurs, please seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is because effective treatment for cerebral infarction is highly time-sensitive. In particular, t-PA therapy (intravenous thrombolysis) must be administered within 4.5 hours of symptom onset. Similarly, catheter-based procedures to remove the blood clot should be performed as quickly as possible, as this can save brain cells before irreversible damage occurs.
There is a widely used acronym called "FAST" to help identify a suspected cerebral infarction. F, A, and S stand for the three key symptoms that indicate a possible cerebral infarction: facial paralysis (Face), arm weakness (Arm), and speech difficulties (Speech). The T in FAST stands for Time, emphasizing the importance of the onset time. If you notice any of these three symptoms, check the time and seek emergency medical care immediately.
Even if symptoms suggestive of a cerebral infarction appear, they may subside while you wait to see how things develop. If the symptoms are temporary and disappear quickly, you might feel reassured and decide not to go to the hospital; however, these symptoms may actually be a transient ischemic attack (TIA). A TIA occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is temporarily blocked, causing symptoms that completely disappear within 24 hours. If a TIA is left untreated, 15–20% of patients will go on to develop a cerebral infarction within three months. If symptoms appear, do not ignore them or think they are just your imagination; please seek medical attention immediately.
Author Bio
Dr. Vivien
Medical Director/Family Medicine Specialist
After completing medical school in Moscow, Dr. Vivien gained clinical experience at a general hospital in Penang, Malaysia. She later served as a full-time physician at Batu Gajah Hospital in Perak and at a clinic in Selangor.
Since 2018, she has been with Hibari Clinic, where she currently serves as Medical Director and is dedicated to providing care for the local community. She has a strong interest in pediatrics and psychosomatic medicine, and values patient-centered care that respects each individual’s needs.