‘People are trying to avoid going to the hospital’; El Paso doctor urges public to pay attention to stroke symptoms

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- An El Paso doctor is urging the public to take the signs and symptoms of a stroke seriously, as he says the pandemic scares some away from seeking urgent medical care.

"There is good information indicating people are trying to avoid going to the hospital because fear to the virus," said Dr. Salvador Cruz-Flores, Chair of Neurology at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso.

Dr. Cruz-Flores said anyone experiencing a stroke should not wait for care. Symptoms can include slurred speech, double vision, loss of vision, weakness or numbness in one side of the body and difficulty walking. Many symptoms will come on suddenly.

Seeking medical attention can be life-changing.

"I think for anybody that's been through a stroke, I think they can relate to the fact that you have no idea what's coming the next day and that's probably one of the hardest parts for people who suffer strokes," said Todd Nixon, whose wife suffered a stroke in 2008 and was treated by Dr. Cruz-Flores.

Watch the full segment on ABC-7 at Noon in the media module above.