IDENTIFYING WHAT STROKE REALLY IS

One of the top 3 causes of death in the world yet very few people know what it is. We normally know these kind of abnormalities by name and can easily say someone had a stroke but we never have an understanding of them. Saving a life requires knowledge and a lot of damage can be prevented if we know and act fast. Every 4 minutes someone dies from a stroke and that could be prevented. Many people who suffer a “mini stroke” are not even aware that they suffered a stroke.

What is stroke?

When part of the brain does not get the blood supply, stroke happens. If the blood is not flowing to the brain then the brain cells will be affected. These brain cells will either die or be damaged leading to causes of disabilities. Depending on which part of the brain is affected the damage will have different effects. The affected part of the body can suffer permanent loss of movement. A stroke can affect memory and cause loss of coherent speech. A victim might not be able to make sense or clearly communicate what they are feeling when it happens. Understanding stroke is one of the key elements of identifying stroke when it attacks

How to identify stroke symptoms?

Since victims may not be able to say what they are going through their best hope is to be near someone who recognizes the signs to reduce the impact of it. Here is how to recognize it, BE FAST is the acronym used to identifying stroke symptoms.
Balance – legs will be unstable causing lack of balance
Eyes – loss of vision on either one eye or both/blurred vision
Face – affected side of the face starts to droop
Arms – the person will not be able to lift both arms
Speech – unable to speak clearly/slur speech
Time – act fast to ensure the person gets medical care as soon as possible.
*Depending on which part of the brain is affected the effects vary from person to person.

 Other frequent effects would be:

• Emotional Rollercoaster (Depression/Mood Changes)
• Fatigue
• Impairment/Loss of Sensation
• Severe Headache
• Limited Concentration
• Loss of Bowel Movement
• Loss of Bladder
• Difficulty Swallowing

There are different types of strokes

• Mini stroke/transient ischaemic attack – it’s temporary and lasts for a short period of time. It is a sign of a problem that needs serious attention and it pre-empts a stroke if it’s not taken care of.
• Clot/ischaemic stroke – flow of blood to the brain is restricted by a blood clot.
• Bleeding/hemorrhagic stroke – bleeding in the brain that results from a blood vessel that ruptures.

How to take preventative measures?

• Exercise – this is always on the list of things to do for better health and to minimize most diseases. Maintain a healthy weight.
•  Diet – diet together with exercise are the top first measures to take for healthy living. If you are not sure of what to avoid or limit then ask your doctor to assist with a healthy eating plan.
• Alcohol – drink in moderation because alcohol increases blood pressure which may result in an increased risk of stroke.
• Smoking – smoking increases the chance of stroke not only to you but to anyone you always smoke next to, like family & friends. Smoking doubles your chance of stroke.
• Regular check- ups – with regular medical checkups you can monitor & control blood pressure. Checkups will also help to control cholesterol levels and cholesterol is a leading cause of problems in the arteries that carry blood through our body.

Reduce your chances of having a stroke by leading a healthy lifestyle and save a life by recognizing what it is. Around the world in estimation every 3 seconds someone suffers a stroke & every 4 minutes someone dies from it. It can be prevented

BE FAST about it, save your life & save a life of another!!