Seniors Matter(s): Strokes

There is a new indicator to help someone recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Most people do not die from a stroke; rather, they just end up in a helpless, hopeless condition.

If a patient can get to a hospital and receive treatment quickly, the effects of a stroke can totally be reversed.

One recognition system is called S.T.R.

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify, and unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster, if the stroke victim suffers severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms.

Bystanders can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
 

• Ask the individual to Smile.
• Ask the person to Talk – to say a simple sentence coherently, such as chicken soup is good.
• Lastly, ask the individual to Raise both arms

If the person has any trouble with any one of these tasks, you need to call the emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms.

Now there is a new sign called Stick out your tongue. You only need to ask the person to stick out his/her tongue. If the tongue is crooked or if it goes to one side or the other, that's also an indication of a stroke.

Another anagram is F.A.S.T.:
 

• F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb?
• A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred? Ask the person to smile. Is the person's smile uneven?
• T = Time to call 911

There are numerous signals of an imminent stroke, such as numbness or weakness of face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body or confusion,  trouble speaking or understanding speech, blurriness or trouble in one or both eyes or dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

Men and women who have strokes often feel similar symptoms, such as face drooping, arm weakness and speech difficulty.

Other common signs for both women and men include problems seeing out of one or both eyes and balance or co-ordination problems.

People can also experience:

• General weakness
• Disorientation and confusion or memory problems
• Fatigue, nausea or vomiting

There are many different types of strokes.

An ischemic stroke occurs when a vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. It accounts for about 87 per cent of all strokes.

Fatty deposits lining the vessel walls, called atherosclerosis, are the main cause for ischemic stroke. Fatty deposits can cause two types of obstruction:
 

• Cerebral thrombosis - a thrombus (blood clot) that develops at the fatty plaque within the blood vessel
• Cerebral embolism - a blood clot that forms at another location in the circulatory system, usually the heart and large arteries of the upper chest and neck; part of the blood clot breaks loose, enters the bloodstream and travels through the brain’s blood vessels until it reaches vessels too small to let it pass

A main cause of embolism is an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. It can cause clots to form in the heart, dislodge and travel to the brain.

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures. The two types of weakened blood vessels that usually cause hemorrhagic stroke are aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke is uncontrolled high blood pressure.

A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is a warning stroke but is commonly referred to by the public as a mini-stroke. The TIA is a medical emergency with the same symptoms as ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes.

Because most TIA symptoms last from only a few minutes up to 24 hours, they are often dismissed and not taken seriously. TIAs, which occur before about 15 per cent of strokes, are considered "warning strokes" — they are associated with additional TIAs, full-blown strokes or other cardiovascular problems later. Most of these later health problems happen within just days or weeks of the TIA, so early interventions to reduce risk are vital.

You could have a stroke and not know it. Silent Cerebral infarction (SCI), or silent stroke, is a brain injury likely caused by a blood clot that interrupts blood flow in the brain. It’s a risk factor for future strokes and a sign of progressive brain damage.

A high systolic blood pressure (the top number in a measurement), hypertension and elevated levels of blood homocysteine are risk factors for SCI. So early diagnosis and preventing hypertension are important steps to reduce silent stroke risk.

In most cases, a stroke is caused by a blood clot that blocks the flow of blood to the brain. In some instances, despite testing, the cause of a stroke can’t be determined.

When a stroke occurs in the brain stem, it can affect both sides of the body and may leave someone in a ‘locked-in’ state. When a locked-in state occurs, the patient is generally unable to speak or move below the neck. 

Where do you go from here?

Depending on the severity and the duration of the blockage, rehabilitation can be a long a tedious road.

Physiotherapy focuses on evaluating, restoring, and maintaining optimal physical function using a range of treatment techniques. Physiotherapists have a detailed understanding of how the body works and apply their specialized education and clinical skills to assess and improve clients’ movement and function and help identify and relieve their underlying causes of pain.

Prescribed exercise programs can improve joint range of motion, muscle strength, posture, balance, functional abilities, and pain management.

Fall prevention focuses on the causes of falls and techniques to avoid them.

Gait aid prescription and training determines the most effective assistive devices to improve your safety and enhance your mobility, i.e. walkers, canes to give you maximum function and independence.

Assistive devices programs (ADP) assist clients in determining their eligibility for government-funded programs and prescribe mobility aids suitable to their needs.

If you are unable to participate in your normal daily activities due to an illness, disability, injury or the aging process, an occupational therapist can help.

Occupational therapists are skilled, regulated health professionals who work directly with you and your family, employer and/or other professionals to help you learn or re-learn everyday activities, and increase your mobility, independence, and active participation in life.

The bottom line is clear! Early detection is imperative.

Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.