“I have yet to meet a person over age seventy who did not agree that death would be preferable to a bad stroke. More than death itself, most people fear a stroke’s possible results: incapacity, incontinence, loss of speech, loss of independence, and burdening loved ones.”
-J. David Spence, MD in How to Prevent Your Stroke
The effects of stroke vary widely, depending on factors such as location of damage, speed in diagnosis and treatment, and health prior to the stroke. Possible effects include:
- Coma
- Inability to breathe without a respirator
- Paralysis on one or both sides of the body
- Loss of depth perception
- Impulsive and/or compulsive behavior
- Loss of short-term memory
- Loss of reading skills
- Loss of writing skills
- Inability to understand others
- Generalized confusion
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of balance
- Loss of ability to coordinate bodily functions
- Death
These debilitating, sometimes fatal results are why stroke prevention and fast treatment are so important!
Fortunately, there are many good treatments for stroke that optimize the chance for recovery with minimal damage. The faster a stroke is recognized and treated, the better the prognosis for recovery. To learn how to identify a stroke victim, refer to the article entitled "The Facts About Stroke."
Here are some of the basic treatments for stroke. One or more treatments may be used depending on the extent of the damage:
Medication
- To break up blood clots which stops stroke
- To stop hemorrhage within sensitive brain tissue
- On-going to prevent recurrence of stroke and/or mini-strokes
Surgery
- To stop bleeding within the cranial cavity or surrounding the brain
- To repair blood vessel damage in and around the brain
Therapy
- Physical to re-gain motor skills such as walking, stair-climbing, sitting and standing and balance/coordination
- Speech to re-learn speech patterns
- Occupational to re-learn life skills such as opening jars, doing buttons, pressing telephone buttons, driving and more
- Emotional to combat depression that often occurs with serious health conditions and loss of previous skills
As you can see, stroke is a very serious condition. In fact, according to the National Stroke Association, stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States! Sources: Stroke - Journal of the AHA & the American Stroke Foundation
Since stroke is so prevalent in our society, we need to be aware of the signs, symptoms, effects and treatment options for this serious disease. Knowledge increases our likelihood of being able to help ourselves and others prevent stroke, so please share this important list of stroke effects with your family and friends and be aware of treatment options available today.
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