Symptoms of a Stroke
Facts Everyone should know about a Stroke
Symptoms of a stroke appear suddenly and often there is more than one symptom at a time. A stoke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly clogged or when a blood vessel to the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding the brain cells.
Although a stroke affects the brain, it can affect the entire body. Some of the disabilities that can result from a stroke include paralysis, cognitive deficits, speech problems, emotional difficulties, fatigue and daily living problems.
Stroke Symptoms-Facts you should know about:
* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
* Sudden confusion, trouble talking, or understanding speech.
* Sudden trouble seeing in one of both eyes
* Sudden difficulty walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
* Sudden or severe headache with no known cause
Risk Factors Concerning a Stroke:
The most important risk factors for stroke are hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and cigarette smoking.Others include heavy alcohol consumption, high blood cholesterol levels, illicit drug use, and genetic or congenital conditions particularly vascular abnormalities.
Gender also plays a role in the risk for stroke. Men have a higher risk for a stroke, but since men do not live as long as women, women are generally older when they have strokes and are more likely to die from them. However, women’s hormonal changes during pregnancy, childbirth and menopause increase their risk for stroke. The risk for stroke also varies among different ethnic and racial groups.
Because stroke survivors often have complex rehabilitation needs, progress and recovery are unique to each person. Although a majority of functional abilities may be restored soon after a stroke, recovery is an ongoing process. Many stroke victims will require psychological or psychiatric help after a stroke.
For more information you can contact the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Their contact information is listed below:
NINDS
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
Toll Free: 1-800-352-9424
http://www.ninds.nih.gov