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Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 1
22 June, 2023
Confident and proactive before a stroke. All you need to know for adequate care and prevention. Don’t let a lack of information threaten your heart health. Check out this article for more details on the causes, symptoms, prevention and improvement of your health.
A stroke happens when there is a disruption to the flow of blood to the brain. This means that blood cannot reach a particular part of the brain, which becomes damaged. Blood flow to the brain can be cut off by a blockage (ischaemic stroke) or a bleed (haemorrhagic stroke).
The brain has two sides (hemispheres). The nerve signals (messages) cross at the base of the brain, so a stroke occurring on the right side of the brain will affect the left side of the body and vice versa.
Diagram of the brain
The brain is also divided into different parts (lobes), the brain stem and cerebellum. Each of these areas is responsible for other functions.
Frontal lobe Responsible for personality and control of movement.
Parietal lobe Responsible for the appreciation of sensation.
Temporal lobe Responsible for the understanding of sight, sound and touch sensations.
Occipital lobe Responsible for interpreting the vision.
Cerebellum Responsible for coordinating all muscle movements, including walking, talking, muscle tone and balance.
Cerebellum Responsible for co-ordination of all the muscle movements, including walking, talking, muscle tone and balance.
The effects of stroke
It is essential to understand that no two people are affected by stroke similarly. The effect of a stroke on a person depends on which part of the brain has been affected and how much damage has been caused.
Physical
The following physical effects of a stroke can sometimes be quite disabling. However, these will improve with time, and the physiotherapist and members of the stroke team will work with you to assist in your recovery.
Weakness in the arm, leg or face is probably the most common effect caused by a stroke. Weakness can vary in its severity. It can be in one part of the body or may affect one whole side of the body. This is called hemiparesis.
Muscle tightness
Specific muscles can become abnormally stiff and tight after a stroke, referred to as spasticity or increased tone. This can make the movement of an arm or leg difficult and cause pain or discomfort.
Coordination
Coordinating movements after a stroke can be complicated. This can be due to weak muscles but can also be caused if the stroke has affected your cerebellum, which is the area that coordinates all your movements. This can make it difficult to walk and undertake delicate tasks.
Sensation
Altered sensation
There are various ways in which a stroke can affect your senses. You may be less sensitive to touch and not feel something you bump into. Or you may have increased sensitivity which can affect a range of reasons such as hearing, touch, taste and sensitivity to pain. You may experience abnormal and unpleasant sensations such as burning, tingling or numbness.
Vision
Sometimes, stroke can affect vision. It can take time for your eyesight to settle, so it is recommended that you wait six months after your stroke before having your eyes tested. However, some problems can occur due to damage to the brain’s parts that help us interpret what we see, even though the eye itself may usually be working. If you are experiencing visual problems, please speak with your GP or optician.
Awareness of own body
Sometimes people have reduced awareness of the affected side of their body. For example, you may not know where your arm is about objects, or you may bump into things, especially on the affected side. This reduced awareness is often called “neglect” and can be due to decreased vision – visual neglect and reduced sensation – sensory neglect. If this affects you, the stroke team will help you develop strategies to accommodate the neglect.
Pain after stroke
There are many reasons why people experience pain or discomfort following a stroke. This is often because people may not be as mobile as usual. It can also result from tightness or weakness in muscles. Pain is most commonly experienced in the shoulder.
A small number of people experience pain as a direct result of the stroke, known as central post-stroke pain (CPSP). This can develop in the months following a stroke and is often linked to altered sensation, e.g. pins and needles or numbness. As with many effects of stroke, pain may exist for some time, but treatments such as medication and physiotherapy are often successful in relieving pain.
If you are experiencing pain, speak to the stroke team or your doctor for more information.
Professional consulting: ThS.BS.Dao Thi My Van
For more Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 2
For more Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 3
For more Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 4
For more Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 5
Stroke: The more intention about risk, the more proper prevention | Part 2