For many, our body is something completely unknown, something mysterious and curious at the same time. It can be said that most of us do not fully understand each function of our organism or why certain accidents happen. And this can be very dangerous in some cases. When someone has a stroke, for example, it’s quite common to see people wondering why this happened and why that person suffered such an event. The truth is, you don’t need to be a specialist to understand the risk of certain diseases or to take better care of your body. Today we’re going to talk about what a stroke is and how to avoid these kinds of accidents.

What is a Stroke?

The abbreviation for cerebrovascular accident, stroke (also known as a cerebral hemorrhage) is one of the deadliest diseases we know of—being the second leading cause of death worldwide and having a relatively low rate of full recovery, meaning the chance of permanent effects is very high. It happens when a brain blood vessel ruptures or when there is an interruption or drastic reduction of blood supply to the brain. When this happens, the nutrients necessary for the brain to function do not reach it, causing several serious complications.

Types of Stroke

There are two types of cerebrovascular accidents. The difference between them mainly lies in the way the disease occurs. This can affect the severity of the disease, although both types present real life-threatening dangers. They are:

  • Ischemic Stroke
  • Hemorrhagic Stroke

We will talk more deeply about the main differences between the two and how this can affect the patient.

Ischemic Stroke

It occurs when several brain cells die due to an obstruction of an artery. This lack of blood flow in the region is called ischemia. This type of stroke usually occurs because of a clot that forms in the artery or that travels through the bloodstream until it reaches the brain.

Hemorrhagic Stroke

This happens when there is a rupture of a brain blood vessel, causing blood to leak into the inside of the organ. This leakage may happen only on the surface or penetrate deeper, making the clinical picture even more complicated. Although it is rarer than an ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke is more lethal, meaning it results in more deaths.

What Are the Symptoms of a Stroke?

A cerebrovascular accident has very noticeable symptoms and happens relatively slowly. Knowing exactly how these symptoms appear helps make sure the person experiencing them gets to the hospital immediately, thus avoiding the worst consequences a stroke can bring. Some of the main symptoms of the disease are:

  • Loss of vision
  • Sudden changes in motor coordination
  • Difficulty speaking
  • Paralysis on one side of the body
  • Weakness and difficulty moving
  • Loss of sensation on one side of the body
  • Difficulty moving the face
  • Tingling sensation in the face or limbs
  • Dizziness
  • Difficulty swallowing

Causes of Stroke

Although there are two types of strokes, they are most often directly linked to unhealthy lifestyle habits. It is extremely important to know what leads a person to develop this type of disease in order to understand exactly how to prevent it. Some of the most common causes are:

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Acute myocardial infarction
  • Cardiac arrhythmia
  • Excessive alcohol use
  • Excessive tobacco use
  • Physical inactivity
  • Clots in the bloodstream
  • Type 2 diabetes

Other causes of strokes include: drug use, excessive consumption of fatty foods, obesity, advanced age, and family history.

Treatment for Stroke

Stroke treatment is typically done in an emergency setting because, when this type of event occurs, it happens very quickly and is almost impossible to prevent. The first thing to do when a team rescues a patient with this type of incident is to check vital signs and determine how long the person has been without care since the onset of symptoms. After that, exams such as CT scans, MRI, and echocardiograms are done to check how the body as a whole is functioning. A medical team can unblock the obstructed arteries using medication, but this is only possible in specific cases in which the stroke symptoms appeared within the last 4 hours. If the case doesn’t meet these specific criteria, the team will have to address the problems manually, which is always riskier but can still clear the patient’s arteries. If a stroke has occurred and there is no evidence of a clot in the arteries, treatment is focused directly on dealing with the consequences, avoiding possible permanent damage, as well as preventing other types of harm.

Possible Consequences

As we mentioned earlier, stroke is one of the deadliest diseases in the world and can also leave many aftereffects in those who’ve had it. Some of the main consequences include:

  • Neglect – When a person cannot control a part (or several parts) of their body. There is treatment, but it is delicate and difficult to carry out.
  • Memory Deficit – The person loses the ability to recall recent events.
  • Aphasia – The patient has difficulty expressing themselves, either through speech or gestures.
  • Motor Deficit – Difficulty or inability to move a part of the body. This occurs relatively frequently as a result of a stroke and requires extensive physical therapy treatment.
  • Facial changes – The person may be left with a noticeably altered face, with a drooping eye, one side of the mouth sagging (giving the impression of a crooked mouth), as well as vision and hearing issues.

Treatments for the various aftereffects that stroke brings can include physical therapy, cognitive stimulation, and even psychological treatment, as the patient may also become depressed due to major changes that occur. The cerebrovascular accident, as you may have realized, is quite dangerous and often arrives without warning. That’s exactly why it’s necessary to make an effort to gather as much information as possible on how to take care of ourselves before we have to dedicate all that effort to dealing with the aftereffects of a stroke, for example. Prevention is always the most important part since, deep down, it means taking care of your own health. Protect yourself not just against stroke, but against all sorts of illnesses that you can avoid by taking healthier actions and paying special attention to your body. Also See: Embolism – What it is, Causes, and Symptoms Photo: geralt