Understanding Brain Stroke: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention

A‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ brain stroke is a serious condition that requires immediate intervention, and it happens when the flow of blood to a certain part of the brain is cut off or significantly lowered. The absence of oxygen makes brain cells die in a matter of minutes, therefore, getting medical help as soon as possible is what saves lives. Strokes can impair a person’s motor skills, speech, memory, and even change their character, depending on which side of the brain is affected. As the number of cases keeps increasing worldwide and in India as well, knowing the signs of a stroke fast is the way to keep the consequences less severe and to make more people ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌live.

What Happens During a Stroke

A‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ stroke is the result of brain cells not getting enough oxygen-rich blood. An interruption in blood supply can be due to blockage or bleeding in the brain, hence the two situations must be treated immediately.

Strokes are categorized into:

1. Ischemic Stroke

This kind of stroke is the one that is mostly referred to. It is the case when an artery that provides blood to the brain gets clogged with a blood clot or with a fatty deposit. If rescue is not done in time, the brain starts to die and the patient gets permanent neurological damage.

2. Hemorrhagic Stroke

This is the case when one of the blood vessels in the brain ruptures and causes the brain to bleed internally. Among these likely causes of the person’s high blood pressure, aneurysms, or a blow, the hemorrhagic stroke can only be fatal if it is very fast.

3. Transient Ischemic Attack TIA

Generally, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) is referred to as a mini-stroke that is a short-term blood flow blockage in the brain. The symptoms may be there only for a few minutes and then disappear, but only as a warning that a heavy stroke is going to ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌come.

Early Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

A‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ stroke can be a sudden event. Knowing the signs can be a great help in saving a life. The most dependable way to detect symptoms is the FAST method.

FAST checklist

•  F – One side of the face drooping
•  A – Arm weakness or numbness
•  S – Speech difficulty or words not clear
•  T – Time is crucial, call for help as soon as possible

There could be other symptoms that point to a stroke:

• Sudden severe headache
• Loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden blurred or double vision
• Confusion, disorientation or difficulty with memory
• If symptoms disappear as well, an emergency medical check-up is a ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌must.

What Increases the Risk of Stroke

Different‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ lifestyle and medical conditions could lead you to have a stroke. Some of them are preventable, and some will need you to have continuous medical care.

The most common risk factors are:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Smoking and the use of tobacco
• High cholesterol
• Overweight and lack of exercise
• Genetic predisposition to stroke
• Heavy drinking

It is very important for the prevention of stroke that the person at risk understands these factors, takes care of them, and follows the advice of the ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌doctor.

Can Stroke Be Prevented

It‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ is true that not all strokes may be avoided, however, quite a number of them can either be delayed or their risks lowered to a very large extent just through the adoption of healthy habits and getting screened regularly. Some of the preventive measures are:

• Keep a balanced diet that is low in salt and saturated fats
• Work out regularly and keep your weight at a healthy level
• Do not smoke and limit your alcohol consumption
• Keep your blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol levels in check
• If you experience symptoms or TIA, get medical help immediately
• By making slow but sure changes to your lifestyle today, you are actually investing into the protection of your brain function over ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌time.

Strokes‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ are very serious and require immediate attention, however, most of them are preventable through understanding and giving the right care at the proper time. If you spot the warning signs or happen to have sudden neurological changes, it is absolutely necessary that you go to the doctor without delay. People come to Sugam Hospital for comprehensive and cutting-edge neurologic evaluation and treatment which is led by the most skilled and experienced specialists. While looking for a neurology specialist in Chennai, it’s deciding a staff ready for quick diagnosis and emergency treatment that will be able to recovery and life ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌quality.