The first step in reducing your chance of stroke is by being fully understanding what it is, what causes it and what you can do to prevent it! Stroke is a disease that affects the arteries that lead to and within the brain. Stroke ranks number 5 in causes of death and is a leading cause of disability in the United States. It is a serious disease that can happen to anyone, at anytime and at any age. Stroke causes lasting brain damage, long-term disability and even death, with little warning.
Strokes can be caused by a blockage of blood flow and oxygen entering the brain as well as blood vessels leaking blood into the brain tissue where brain cells stop working because of it. The causation of stroke dependent on your body. Blood pressure can play a large role in the risk factors of stroke.
Warnings & Symptoms
There may be little to no warning signs of a stroke until it happens. High blood pressure plays a large role in stroke as it can increase your chances of having one. Some warnings and symptoms can last for a few minutes at a time so it is very crucial to be aware of the signs. Time is limited and being aware matters most before a stroke occurs. Symptoms can be mild or excessive, depending on the type of stroke experienced.
Symptoms of a stroke include:
While these are not the only symptoms of stroke, they are the main indicators of one that should be paid attention to at all costs.
Types of Stroke
Different types of stroke are dependent on the part of the brain that is being affected. The two types of blood supply loss in the brain is ischemic and hemorrhagic. The loss of blood ultimately affects parts of your body to stop working which also tells you what kind of stroke a person is having.
The occurrence of an artery in the brain being blocked, preventing oxygen and blood to reach the brain is called ischemic stroke or referred to as clots. Blockage can be caused by cholesterol buildup otherwise known as plaque. Plaques are dangerous because if they rupture, that is what causes a clot to form and prevent blood from passing through to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke many experience.
Hemorrhagic strokes also referred to bleeds are caused by blood vessels leaking into the brain tissue which causes the brain cells to stop working. This type of stroke can be caused by having high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause the wall of your artery to weaken over time which can cause strokes, aneurysms, and more types of damage.
Prevention is the best treatment for reducing your risk factors of stroke. Strokes are life threatening. Your awareness for what can cause it and prevent it can save your life. Preventive care means keeping a close eye on your cholesterol intake, diabetes and smoking. Keeping all three under control can help with preventing blood clots that lead to ischemic strokes. Blood pressure should be controlled with simple lifestyle changes including exercise, good weight and cutting back on a few foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. To learn more, contact Silver State Neurology and we can help you tackle all your questions and concerns!