Time is of the essence. It can make or break getting the right treatment to fully recover from a stroke.

Dr. Alexandros Georgiadis, a physician and director of neuroscience at South Texas Health System in McAllen, explained that strokes happen when there’s an interruption of blood flowing to the brain, which can later result in brain damage.

The doctor says it’s important to make sure treatment is readily available for a patient. Common symptoms include difficulty speaking, having a subtle, asymmetric droopy face, and feeling numbness or weakness with parts of the body, such as a person’s arms or legs.

Watch the video above for the full report.