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Treating a Stroke
Treating a Stroke
Artery blockages cause ischemic strokes while leaking or burst vessels cause hemorrhagic strokes, the latter being more serious. A lesser-known form of stroke is a transient ischemic attack, more commonly called a “ministroke” because it doesn’t leave permanent damage.

Have you experienced a loved one having a stroke and didn’t realize it until it was too late? It’s scary, I know. Educating yourself on how to catch it before it’s too late and what to do afterward is the greatest way you can be prepared if it happens again.

How Do Strokes Happen?

There are two primary ways strokes occur:

1. The brain’s blood and oxygen supply is decreased or interrupted altogether with an artery blockage.

2. The blood and oxygen don’t reach parts of the brain because its vessels are leaking or have burst. 

Artery blockages cause ischemic strokes while leaking or burst vessels cause hemorrhagic strokes, the latter being more serious. A lesser-known form of stroke is a transient ischemic attack, more commonly called a “ministroke” because it doesn’t leave permanent damage. It’s called a transient ischemic attack because it’s caused the same way as a regular ischemic stroke.

Initial Treatment of Strokes?

When a stroke is happening, it’s crucial to be alert to it as soon as possible because brain cells will begin to die quickly. This is not as easy as many assume because strokes may occur in a part of the brain that doesn’t initiate a dramatic response, such as obvious face drooping. For you and those around you, always remember to BEFAST when it comes to the at-home treatment of stroke: 

Is there sudden Balance loss?

Is Eyesight blurred, loss, or doubled?

Is there Face-drooping when smiling? 

Is an Arm drooping when both are held out? 

Is Speech impaired?

If yes, then it’s Time to call for help.

This is a convenient acronym, but there are other symptoms of a stroke, such as headaches followed by vomiting, dizziness, and/or confusion. Numbing can occur in areas like the legs or face too.

When the patient is in professional care, the initial treatment of strokes involves determining which stroke they’re having. The doctors will perform a physical exam, CT scan, an MRI, take blood samples, a carotid ultrasound, an echocardiogram, and/or a cerebral angiogram. If the doctors have determined the patient has had an ischemic stroke they will work to get your blood into your brain via IV medication, removing clots, catheters into the brain, and/or endovascular therapy. If it’s hemorrhagic, the treatment of strokes is to control the bleeding and pressure on the brain with surgery, clamping the aneurysm, counteracting any blood thinners the patient takes, adding little coils to the bleeding source, and more. 

Post-stroke treatment

Once you or your loved one have gotten through the initial treatment, the post stroke treatment begins. stroke treatment recovery is focused on regaining as much neurological function and independence as possible by exercising the mind. These “exercises” can include various forms of physical therapy to reestablish motor functions, speech therapy, medication, massage, video games, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, just to name a few.

Conclusion

In summary, it can be hard to spot a stroke happening, but as soon as you can, practice BEFAST and call 911.