Comparison of two stroke types and how cope with the stroke: 

Hopefully you never had to endure a situation of someone close to you to suffer from transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as mini stoke, or from a stroke. In any case, you should be familiar with both kinds of stroke as they both destroy brain tissue and can produce similar long-term effects. But there are important differences in what causes them and in the symptoms that tell you which kind of stroke is happening.

Ischemic Stroke:

According to statistics, 80 percent of strokes belong to the ischemic stroke kind. These mini-strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is blocked by plaque-clogged arteries or by blood clots. This means that blood is not circulating properly inside the brain causing brain cells to die if even for a few minutes no oxygen is transmitted to them via the blood.

– Symptoms: Sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; difficulty speaking or understanding speech; trouble seeing in one or both eyes; dizziness and a sudden loss of balance; falling in and out of consciousness; chest pain and shortness of breath. These last three symptoms are less-brain-centered and are more commonly experienced by women.

Hemorrhagic Stroke:

These brain hemorrhages happen when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue. There are various causes of these bursts. The most frequent is the rupture of an aneurysm, a weak spot on the wall of an artery that happens to be in your brain-aneurysms can occur elsewhere in the body, too. Experts point out that women are twice as likely as men to have an aneurysm in the brain and are more likely to have multiple aneurysms than men. Two other causes for bleeding in the brain are: hypertension, which can create enough pressure to break an artery wall, and arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the brain. This is a snarl of defective blood vessels and capillaries whose thin walls are prone to rupture.

– Symptoms: A sudden violent headache, as if cracking a fault like through the brain’s delicate architecture. The patient may also suffer from blurred vision or nausea.

If you ever suspect you might be having a TIA or stroke or believe you are witnessing someone else having one, make sure 911 (or your local emergency unit) be called immediately. Tell the dispatcher that, if possible, you want to be transported to a hospital with a stroke center. Do not attempt to drive to the emergency room yourself. Stroke patients who arrive at the hospital by ambulance are evaluated sooner by an ER physician, get the necessary testing and are admitted to the hospital or intensive-care unit more frequently than those who arrive by taxi or car. Most importantly, bring someone prepared to advocate for you or the patient. Be prepared by being informed and act fast!

New Brain Hemorrhage Guide Stresses Quick Action – Neurology …
Explains neurology (brain and nerve) conditions; includes symptoms, causes, medications, diagnosis, treatments, prevention, and prognosis information.  

 Kennedy’s absence at Campaign Diaries
South Dakota Senator Tim Johnson, for instance, suffered a dramatic brain hemorrhage in late 2006 that kept him sidelined for much of 2007, but he was back in the Senate by the end of the year.

Blood Thinning Drug Causes Increased Bleeding in Your Brain …
A new study shows that people who use the blood thinning drug warfarin may have larger amounts of bleeding in the brain, and an increased risk of death if they suffer a hemorrhagic stroke

Technorati Tags: brain hemorrhage, Hemorrhagic Stroke, Ischemic, thrombosis, transient ischemic attack (TIA)

Stroke is the interruption of blood to the brain. The most common type of stroke is ischaemic, caused by a blood clot blocking an artery or vessel. The brain cells in the immediate area are permanently damaged and those in the surrounding areas are affected by the reduced blood flow. Once brain cells are permanently damaged, their functions stop with them. The functions lost depend on which areas of the brain were affected by the stroke and how severely.

A person who suffers from a small stroke may recover with only minor disabilities, while a major stroke can permanently disable or even kill. Many survivors also have emotional changes with a tendency to laugh or cry for no apparent reason, and then to stop just as suddenly.

Living with the effects of stroke
In some cases, the effects of a small stroke can be overcome, and the person can live an almost completely normal life. In other cases, the disabilities are severe and permanent. However, support and understanding from family and friends, plus intensive rehabilitation from health care professionals, can always improve a stroke survivor’s quality of life. Some of the health care professionals who can assist include:

Speech therapists – to maintain or improve speech and communication and assess swallowing difficulties.
Occupational therapists – to teach coping strategies and new skills, and help adapt the family home to better cater for the needs of the stroke survivor.
Physical therapists – to maintain or improve the movement and functioning of the body.

Preventing stroke
There’s a lot we can do to reduce the risk of having a stroke. One third of people die within three months and many more are permanently disabled.

Here are some tips on how to lower the risk.
Eating to help prevent a stroke – Enjoying a diet that includes plenty of wholegrain bread, pasta, rice and other grains, a variety of vegetables and fruits – but eating less fat helps prevent stroke in two ways. Cutting down on fat – for example trimming fat from meat, fat and skin from poultry, using low-fat dairy products, using only a little butter, margarine and oil and avoiding too many fatty snack foods and take-away foods helps reduce cholesterol in your blood. Eating less fat also makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight. Overweight people are more likely to have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke.

Avoiding too much salt help as well. Eating a lot of salt can increase blood pressure in some people. Good ways to eat less include substituting the salt you normally add to food (either at the table or when you cook) with other flavourings.
Regular exercise – Walking half an hour a day can help reduce blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight. Besides making you feel and look better, you are less likely to develop high blood pressure or heart and artery disease.
Quit smoking – Smoking is one of the main risk factors for both stroke and heart disease.
Alcohol – Binge drinking and excessive drinking will increase blood pressure.

Things to remember
A stroke has different effects, depending on which part of the brain is targeted during the attack.
If a stroke is suspected, it is important to seek medical help immediately.
Health care professionals who can help improve a stroke survivor’s quality of life include speech, occupational and physical therapists.

By: LifeStyleGuru

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Belinda Asonganyi CSci LifeCoach & Author stayathome-income-opportunity.blogspot.com/ www.lulu.com/healthcoach

Ankle Splints Help Stroke Patients Regain Mobility                     Ankle and foot splints can help stroke patients regain the ability to walk and keep their balance, says a new study. 

Childhood Stroke Causes and Information                           Information regarding causes and symptoms of childhood stroke including Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome and MELAS syndrome. 

Technorati Tags: brain hemorrhage, life after a stroke, post stroke treatment