What is a classic symptom of a left-sided CVA?

A classic symptom of a left-sided cerebrovascular accident (CVA), commonly referred to as a stroke, is speech difficulty. This is primarily due to the fact that the left side of the brain is typically responsible for language and speech functions in right-handed individuals and many left-handed individuals as well.

When a left-sided CVA occurs, it can lead to various types of aphasia, which is a disorder that affects communication. This may manifest as difficulty in forming coherent speech or understanding language, indicating the dysfunction of the language centers located in the left hemisphere, such as Broca's area and Wernicke's area.

While other symptoms may occur with a left-sided stroke, speech disturbances directly correlate with the affected areas responsible for language and communication, making it a key characteristic sign of this type of stroke.