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Having
a Stroke
This article was
published in The West End
Times July 2, 2011.
“When you are scared out of your wits and you
don’t know
what’s happening and your whole side, well there’s no
movement and you’re
trying to get your hand to work and it’s not happening,
it’s pretty scary.”
June is
stroke awareness month. A
stroke occurs when the blood
supply to part of the brain is disrupted in some way. As a result
brain
cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Some brain cells
become
damaged and others die. The symptoms depend on the part of the
brain
affected and the extent of the damage incurred, explaining why no two
strokes
are the same and why recovery is so different for those affected.
Most strokes occur when a blood
clot blocks one of the arteries which carry blood to the brain.
This type
of stroke is referred to as an ischemic
stroke. The term
‘ischemia’ means an inadequate flow of blood.
However, some strokes are caused
by bleeding within or around the brain from a burst blood vessel.
This
type of stroke is referred to as a hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhage is the medical term for the
bleeding.
The left side of the brain
controls the right side of the body and the right side controls the
left side
of the body. Each side of the brain has different functions
affecting
what type of symptoms the person experiences.
The left side of the brain
normally controls reading, writing, speaking and understanding. So you
are more
likely to have speech problems if the stroke affects the right side of
your
body.
Know the warning signs:
- Weakness:
Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness
in
the face, arm or leg, even if temporary
- Trouble speaking : Sudden
difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if
temporary
- Vision problems: Sudden
trouble
with vision, even if temporary.
- Headache: Sudden severe and
unusual headache.
- Dizziness:
Sudden loss of
balance, especially with any of the above signs.
Too
few Canadians who have suffered a stroke get to the hospital quickly
enough for
this medical emergency, according to a report released by the Canadian
Stroke
Network. Your chances for the best recovery depend on speed. If you or
your
loved one notices any of these symptoms, don’t wait. Call 911. Fast diagnosis
and treatment can make
a huge difference.
Prevention
is the best way to go. Too few dollars are spent on awareness and
prevention.
Because most of our health care dollars are spent on sick and emergency
care,
people are ending up with the lifetime effects of diseases like stroke.
We have
to educate ourselves and be aware of our role in developing healthy
lifestyles.
Hypertension
or high blood pressure is found in 64% of people with stroke. According
to the
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, high blood pressure rose 77 per
cent
among Canadians between 1994 and 2005, based on patients' own reports,
which
are less accurate than measurements. It spiked among Canadians aged 35
to 49,
increasing 127 per cent during the same period.
Shocking data
shows that there are more than 250,000 young Canadians in their 20s and
30s
with high blood pressure," said Stephen Samis, the Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada's director of health policy. He made the statement
in a
report released in January 2010. "It's almost a doubling in 15
years."
What is wrong
with us??? High blood pressure may have NO symptoms. Take your blood
pressure.
If it is elevated just a few changes may save you. Of course in these
days of
technology, blood pressure machines are in most pharmacies. Start
there. No
line ups, no waiting for appointments, no excuses. If your blood
pressure is
up, keep monitoring it. Look at your lifestyle…diet, exercise,
weight, alcohol
consumption, salt intake and smoking habits. Just minor changes can
make a
difference. Treat yourself to life without strokes.
Thoughts,
comments, suggestions are always
welcome.
Contact me at donna@ashcanada.com
Health Access, Home and Nursing care
514-695-3131
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