What is Stroke?

Strokes can be either of two. A blockage in the blood vessels of the brain, or a bleed/hemorrhage in the brain.

What are the Symptoms of a stroke?

Signs and symptoms of stroke are numerous. Patients can have any of the following symptoms:

Difficulty talking and expressing their thoughts or difficulty pronouncing words.

Double vision, visual abnormalities, or difficulty controlling the movement of the eyes.

Difficulty swallowing

Sudden onset weakness in a certain area of the body or body paralysis

Sudden onset of numbness in a certain area of the body

Turning off the facial muscles or facial paralysis

What to do when I notice these symptoms in myself or on a family member?

The best action to do is to head to the hospital or call an ambulance

How to know if it’s a blockage or a bleed in the brain?

There is no way to tell the difference besides doing some tests in the hospital. This is why it is important to act quickly and head to the hospital.

What is the treatment for a stroke?

Depending on the type of stroke the treatment would be decided.

If the patient has a blockage in the blood vessels, patients can be given blood thinning medications.

Whereas if they have a bleed in the brain, the cause of the bleed would be identified and controlled. Unfortunately, some patients would require surgery.

Patients would also need physiotherapy to overcome the deficits they developed and regain function.

Speech, Language, and swallowing therapy are also essential as they would prevent the patient from aspirating and developing an infection. It also helps the patient in regaining the ability to pronounce and articulate words.

What are the causes of stroke?

High blood pressure (hypertension), Diabetes Mellitus, high lipid levels (hyperlipidemia), smoking, irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation), and inflammation of the arteries.

How do we prevent a stroke from happening?

Treating the mentioned causes above and smoking cessation is mandatory. Regular exercise is also essential in preventing obesity and strokes from developing.