May Is Stroke Awareness Month
May Is Stroke Awareness Month
If you are experiencing acute stroke symptoms remember time is critical, every minute treatment is delayed can result in irreparable brain damage. DO NOT CALL your friends and family to ask advice, CALL 9-1-1 immediately.
By D. S. Mitchell
No Longer Just For Seniors
Strokes are not just a health concern for the elderly. Strokes can happen to anyone of any age from infancy through adulthood, most however do occur after the age of 60. Alarming statistics however indicate that over the last 15 years younger Americans, in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50’s are suffering strokes at increasing numbers.
Celebrity Strokes
Recent headline grabbing stroke victims include entertainer Jamie Foxx (55), politician John Fetterman (53), musician *Kid Cudi (32) and influencer Hailey Bieber (25). The reasons are many, some genetic, but mostly the experts are pointing at lifestyle choices; unaddressed high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, stress, cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, and *drug use (Kid Cudi admitted a two week cocaine binge before checking into rehab and subsequently suffering a stroke). Of those factors poor food choices and lack of exercise are probably the most common factors for younger stroke victims.
What Exactly Is A Stroke?
A stroke is quite simply a sudden loss of brain function. The two direct causes of stroke occur when a blood vessel is blocked (ischemic stroke) or when a blood vessel ruptures (hemorrhagic stroke). Onset of symptoms is usually sudden. Symptoms can include weakness or loss of sensation, frequently to only one side of the body, confusion, difficulty speaking, blurred vision, loss of balance and coordination, and headache.
FAST
FAST is the acronym used to teach people how to recognize dangerous stroke symptoms.
- Facial droop (one sided)
- Arm or leg weakness
- Speech slurred or difficult
- Time is of the essence if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms call 9-1-1.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE YOURSELF TO THE HOSPITAL, you might end up killing yourself and someone else in a collision. Call 9-1-1. When you call 9-1-1 you will not only get an ambulance with all the necessary emergency equipment onboard along with trained EMTs, but the 9-1-1 call also triggers actions at the nearest hospital where professionals will be preparing for appropriate testing and treatment.
Treatment Options
Treatment may include the removal of a single blood clot or multiple clots. Procedures such as angioplasty, stents, or medications such as blood thinners, to prevent further clots from forming may be used. The residual damage from a stroke may take weeks or months of physical and speech therapy to strengthen affected areas. Thankfully due to research and the development of new treatments for strokes there are better outcomes. Having a stroke doesn’t mean your life is over, you can still have a meaningful and productive life.
