I’m pretty sure you’ve heard the word stroke.
But what comes to your mind anytime you hear the word? Paralysis? Disability? Death?
If you thought any of these, you’re very correct. Stroke is a deadly disease and it a leading cause of death worldwide.
If we were to discuss stroke and everything about it, this post would be super lengthy.
So, to avoid taking so much of your time, we’ll keep this brief, straight to the point and in easy bits, so that you can learn the most important things for now.
So, what is a stroke?
A stroke occurs when there is a disruption of the blood supply to the brain, which can lead to the death of brain cells and permanent brain damage or death if severe or untreated.
They are often called “brain attacks” or medically known as a cerebrovascular accident, and I’ll explain why. Cerebro- is gotten from ‘cerebrum’ which is the larger part of the brain that has two hemispheres, and vascular refers to blood vessels. In all strokes, there is a huge role played by the brain’s blood vessels.
What causes stroke?
We already established that strokes happen when there is a reduced blood supply to the brain tissue, but how does this happen. Well, there are two ways it happens. It can be classified into two types:
1. Haemorrhagic
2. Ischaemic
A haemorrhagic stroke happens when there is a leakage of blood from a blood vessel in the brain, it can happen when the wall of the blood vessel is weak (as seen in aneurysms) or many times from a sudden blood vessel rupture from uncontrolled high blood pressure. This bleeding exerts a lot of pressure on the brain tissue, resulting in its damage and stroke.
An ischaemic stroke happens when a blood vessel carrying blood to the brain tissue is blocked, most times by blood clots, which is the most common type.
Sometimes, people can have a ‘mini-stroke’, where the blood vessel becomes temporarily blocked by blood clots but resolves in a few minutes. It is medically called a Transient Ischaemic Attack or TIA.
People that have a TIA usually suffer stroke symptoms for a few minutes and usually completely recover. However, people that have suffered these mini-strokes have to take their condition seriously as the main stroke can be imminent.
What makes a person more likely to develop a stroke?
Some things have been noticed to increase the likelihood of a person having a stroke. We call them risk factors, and some of them are:
1. High blood pressure
2. High cholesterol levels
3. Family history
4. Excessive alcohol consumption
5. Cigarette smoking
6. Sickle cell anaemia
7. Increased age (the risk rises as you grow older)
8. A previous stroke or TIA
All these factors can contribute to the chances that a person will have a stroke. For example, if a person has been diagnosed with hypertension (high blood pressure), and is not on treatment, the blood pressure could spike high enough to rupture a blood vessel in the brain and cause a stroke.
Tip: If you aren’t hypertensive, you should check your blood pressure from time to time because hypertension often has no symptoms. Blood pressure is checked using a blood pressure monitor or a manual sphygmomanometer and an analog or electronic stethoscope.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms could vary, but common ones are:
1. Numbness
2. Muscle weakness
3. Slurred speech
4. Deviation of the face
5. Confusion
6. Severe headache
7. Loss of balance
8. Paralysis
How is it treated?
When a person has a stroke, the person is usually admitted in a hospital for a prolonged period during which a multi-disciplinary approach is necessary.
Medications are given to dissolve blood clots, decrease swelling, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure as indicated.
Also, some special procedures may be carried out to attempt to manually remove blood clots that block the flow of blood to the brain tissue.
Occasionally, surgery may be necessary.
During the recovery process, a lot of rehabilitation is needed. From speech therapy to muscle strengthening to other physical therapy. They often need assistance in the form of walkers, wheelchairs and if nursed at home, chair lifts for stairs. Gradually, the person’s symptoms could improve, and the person could go on to make a full recovery.
ALSO READ: 6 Nigerian Foods That Can Help Deal With Hypertension
How to prevent a stroke
Knowing how to prevent a stroke is very important. Here are some tips for you:
1. Check your blood pressure routinely
2. Do routine blood tests to assess your blood sugar and cholesterol levels
3. If you’re hypertensive or diabetic, be compliant with your medications
4. Eat healthy meals
5. Lose weight if you’re overweight or obese
6. Be physically active
7. Don’t consume excessive alcohol
8. Quit smoking
You’re sure going to put stroke at bay if you consciously practice these daily lifestyle habits.
This guest post was written by Dr. Charles-Davies of 25 Doctors.
I may need your help. I tried many ways but couldn’t solve it, but after reading your article, I think you have a way to help me. I’m looking forward for your reply. Thanks.
Howdy! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard
against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked
hard on. Any recommendations?
Great site you’ve got here.. It’s difficult to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! Take care!!
I’d like to find out more? I’d want to find out some additional information.
Nice respond in return of this difficulty with genuine arguments
and telling everything about that.
Link exchange is nothing else however it is only placing the
other person’s weblog link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do similar
for you.
I’m really impressed together with your writing abilities as neatly as
with the structure to your weblog. Is this a paid subject matter or did you modify it yourself?
Either way keep up the excellent high quality writing,
it is uncommon to peer a nice weblog like this one these days..
I wanted to thank you for this fantastic read!! I absolutely loved
every little bit of it. I have got you book marked to look
at new stuff you post…
Please let me know if you’re looking for a author for your
blog. You have some really great articles and I feel I would
be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some articles for
your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.
Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Regards!
Tremendous things here. I am very satisfied to peer your article.
Thanks so much and I’m looking forward to touch you. Will you please
drop me a mail?
I read this piece of writing completely regarding the difference of most recent and earlier technologies, it’s awesome article.
Asking questions are truly nice thing if you are not understanding anything
entirely, however this paragraph offers fastidious understanding
yet.
What’s up, the whole thing is going sound here and ofcourse every one is sharing facts, that’s genuinely excellent, keep
up writing.
Hello all, here every one is sharing these knowledge, therefore
it’s fastidious to read this weblog, and I used to
go to see this weblog daily.
What a material of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable know-how concerning
unpredicted feelings.
Incredible! This blog looks just like my old
one! It’s on a totally different subject but it has
pretty much the same layout and design. Great choice of colors!
First of all I want to say terrific blog! I had a quick question that I’d like to ask if you don’t mind.
I was interested to find out how you center yourself
and clear your thoughts before writing. I’ve had a tough time
clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out. I do enjoy writing however
it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be wasted
just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips?
Cheers!
My coder is trying to persuade me to move to .net from PHP.
I have always disliked the idea because of the costs.
But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using WordPress on various
websites for about a year and am anxious about switching to another platform.
I have heard very good things about blogengine.net.
Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts into
it? Any kind of help would be really appreciated!
Thank you, I’ve just been looking for information approximately this topic
for ages and yours is the best I have found out so far.
However, what in regards to the conclusion? Are you positive in regards to the supply?
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after browsing through some of the articles I
realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I discovered it and I’ll be bookmarking it and checking back regularly!
It’s in fact very complex in this busy life to listen news
on TV, thus I simply use internet for that reason, and obtain the most up-to-date information.
Whoa! This blog looks just like my old one! It’s on a completely different topic but it has pretty much the same page layout and design. Excellent choice of colors!
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something which I think I would never understand.
It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your
next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
Ahaa, its good discussion concerning this paragraph
at this place at this weblog, I have read all that, so at this time me also commenting here.
Howdy! I’m at work surfing around your blog from my new apple iphone!
Just wanted to say I love reading through your blog and look forward to all your posts!
Carry on the outstanding work!
When some one searches for his required thing, therefore he/she wants to be available that
in detail, thus that thing is maintained
over here.
I’m now not sure the place you are getting your information, but
great topic. I must spend a while finding out much more or understanding more.
Thank you for wonderful information I was searching for this info for my mission.
Wow, this paragraph is nice, my sister is analyzing these things, so I am going
to convey her.
Thanks for finally talking about > What You Should Know About Stroke And How To Prevent It – Healthfacts < Loved it!
First of all I want to say superb blog! I had a quick question in which I’d like
to ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to find out
how you center yourself and clear your thoughts
before writing. I have had a tough time clearing
my thoughts in getting my thoughts out there. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like
the first 10 to 15 minutes are usually lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or tips?
Cheers!
It’s appropriate time to make some plans for the future and it’s time
to be happy. I have read this post and if I could I want to suggest you few interesting things or tips.
Perhaps you could write next articles referring to
this article. I want to read even more things
about it!
Your style is so unique compared to other folks I have read stuff from.
I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just bookmark this page.
Link exchange is nothing else however it is just placing the other person’s
website link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do similar for you.
Hey! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog.
Is it difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.
I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure where to begin.
Do you have any ideas or suggestions? Thank
you
It’s an awesome piece of writing for all the online
viewers; they will get benefit from it I am sure.
I don’t even understand how I ended up right here, however I assumed this
submit used to be great. I don’t recognise who you are however certainly you are going to a well-known blogger should you are not already.
Cheers!
Hi there! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog.
Is it difficult to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal
but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about setting up
my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks
whoah this weblog is wonderful i like reading your articles.
Stay up the good work! You understand, many individuals are hunting around
for this info, you can help them greatly.
I savour, lead to I found just what I used to be looking for.
You’ve ended my four day lengthy hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day.
Bye
I was able to find good advice from your blog posts.
Hey! Do you know if they make any plugins to help with SEO?
I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good gains.
If you know of any please share. Thank you!
Greate article. Keep posting such kind of info on your site.
Im really impressed by your blog.
Hello there, You’ve done a fantastic job. I will certainly
digg it and for my part recommend to my friends. I am confident they’ll be benefited from this web
site.
Wow, wonderful blog layout! How long have you been blogging for?
you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website
is fantastic, let alone the content!
Excellent goods from you, man. I’ve be mindful your stuff prior to and you’re just extremely excellent.
I actually like what you’ve obtained here, certainly like what you are saying and the best way in which you assert it.
You’re making it entertaining and you still care
for to keep it sensible. I can’t wait to read far more from you.
This is really a wonderful website.
It is actually a nice and useful piece of info.
I am happy that you simply shared this helpful info with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was
totally right. This post actually made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this info!
Thanks!
Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all folks you really recognize what you are talking about! Bookmarked. Please also talk over with my web site =). We will have a link exchange contract between us!
Hi there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having trouble finding one? Thanks a lot!