What You Need To Know About Stroke

Most people tend to panic when they hear the word stroke. What goes in their mind is paralysis, total dependence on a caregiver, and spending the rest of their lives in a wheelchair. The good news is that NY Neurology Associates can use their advanced specialty and care to help save your life and recover from this condition.

Causes of Stroke

A stroke occurs when there is lack of enough blood circulation in your brain due to blockage of carotid arteries or ruptured blood vessels that causes bleeding. This condition causes a lack of enough oxygen and nutrient supply in your brain, leading to brain cell death.

There are three leading kinds of strokes: hemorrhagic stroke, transient ischemic attack, and ischemic stroke. Hemorrhagic comes about as a result of rupturing of the blood vessels causing blood leakage into the brain. Hemorrhagic stroke is not common.

Transient ischemia occurs due to insufficient blood supply in part of the brain for a short time. The blood supply resumes after a while, and you go back to normal without seeking treatment. Ischemic stroke occurs when you have a blood clot causing an insufficient blood supply to part of your brain. Most people suffer from ischemic stroke.

Symptoms of Stroke

Stroke symptoms appear suddenly, depending on your brain damage. Some of the early symptoms of a stroke are severe headaches, paralysis on your leg, arm, or one side of your face, abnormal speech, lack of balance, confusion, loss of memory, vision loss, and incontinence.

In cases where your brain is damaged by stroke, you may experience long-term outcomes such as difficulty in swallowing, pain when you try to move, difficulty in coordinating speech, impaired vision, difficulty in handling your emotions, and your affected side becomes very weak.

Stroke Diagnosis

Because stroke occurs suddenly, your doctor will perform a diagnosis and start treatment immediately to help save your life and enhance your recovery. Your doctor may carry out several examinations and tests to determine a stroke.

Your doctor will go through your medical and family history to know the kind of medication you have been taking, check for injuries in your head, and determine if there is a family history of stroke or heart disease. Your doctor will also assess your present symptoms and signs.

Your doctor may recommend you undergo an electrocardiogram test to check your heart's electrical performance for further diagnosis or ultrasound to check your neck arteries. Echocardiogram to check any irregularity in your heart structure and performance of your heart.

To evaluate your brain activity, your doctor will perform an electroencephalogram, a cerebral angiogram to get a comprehensive view of your brain's arteries, and a CT scan to get specific images of your brain. Other tests may include blood tests and chest X-rays.

Treatment

Your doctor may recommend medications to stop the stroke, such as thrombolytic therapy, which solvate the clot and allow sufficient blood flow into your brain again. To avoid new blood clots from reoccurring, your doctor may prescribe antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants. Your doctor may prescribe an antihypertensive medicine to lower your high blood pressure in case of hemorrhagic stroke. Other treatments include surgery to repair ruptured and blocked arteries, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy.

Call NY Neurology Associates or request an appointment online to get more information about stroke and how you can overcome the condition.