THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 - STROKES CONTINUED

 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2022 - STROKES CONTINUED

Okay, you know if you are at risk of a stroke - you have high blood pressure, you have cholesterol problems, you are overweight (maybe obese), smoke, drink alcohol, have stress and depression, don’t sleep well, and have diabetes.  (Gee - tongue in cheek - with all those ailments, it's almost amazing you haven’t had a stroke or heart attack before this!!) 

The CDC (Center for Disease Control) has this:

“Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.

The image I’ve used this week has FAST - for Face, Arms, Speech, and Time to act.

WebMD has these five signs:

- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body).

- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding speech.

- Sudden vision problems in one or both eyes.

- Sudden difficulty walking or dizziness, loss of balance, or problems with coordination.

- Severe headache with no known cause.

Note - SUDDEN - not just a gradual headache, not just a gradual loss of balance - but SUDDEN.

*****

So, your face is drooping.  Is it a stroke?  Maybe or maybe not.  Maybe it is fatigue.

Your arms suddenly numb.  Is it a stroke?  Have you been doing a lot of arm activities this day?  Have you been using an ax to split wood?  Have you been carrying pails of water upstairs?  Arms do get numb, but you should know if it is just fatigue - or something unusual.  And, is it mostly on one side or both sides.  If you were splitting wood or carrying pails (one on each side) upstairs - and only one side is numb - it probably is a stroke.

How about your speech?  Suddenly garbled?  Suddenly had to understand?  

The last acronym is “T” - TIME.  If you aren’t sure, get to a doctor, a clinic, an emergency clinic, to an emergency room.  If it isn’t a stroke - even if you get a little bill for the check-up - you are good.  But, if it is a stroke, every minute saved is important.  

In my research some talk of ‘The Golden Hour’ where you get help within an hour if at all possible.  

My research says that 23% of people who had a stroke will have a second stroke within a year.

A friend of mine (whom I haven’t seen for four years), was feeling back - sudden numbness (and other symptoms), but insisted he would just sleep it off and be better in the morning.  NOPE - morning it was worse, and finally maybe over 24 hours later, his wife drove him to a clinic - who said “yes, he had a stroke, blood/oxygen didn’t get to a part of the brain now for over 24 hours.  He stayed in the hospital for a week, and then in a rehab facility for months.  He was a well-respected, self-employed automotive shop expert - who lost his business (and income) pretty much overnight.  

One of the senior people I see is an artist lady - now 96 years old - who had a stroke that affected her speech center.  She can still speak - but very slowly and not at any great length.  (Generally, the longest I heard her is when she says “It’s your turn” when we play checkers.)

*****

One author suggested the following ways to (maybe) avoid a stroke:

Eat fish: Having salmon as salmon has a lot less saturated fat and cholesterol. It has been found that eating fatty fish such as salmon up to four times weekly can reduce your risk of stroke by nearly 30 percent.

Take a walk: Any type of exercise helps to prevent stroke and to improve your health overall. Take your dog for a longer walk, take a quick bike ride, or walk the last few stops to work.

Get a dog: Pets really do reduce stress, which reduces your stroke risk. Also, dogs need to be walked, which always gives you the motivation to get outside and exercise. Think about getting an adult dog because they usually do not require as much care and maintenance as a puppy.

Drink a lot of water: You should drink at least five glasses of water per day, and this will reduce your risk of stroke by 53%, according to a recent study by Loma Linda University. Improve the taste of the water by tossing a slice of lemon, lime, or orange in the glass.

Do things for yourself: Doing projects in the home yourself can be as beneficial as getting exercise. A study in Sweden found that gardening, home repairs or mowing the grass can cut stroke and heart attack risk by 27 percent.

*****

As I wrap up this week of looking at strokes, I see that largely strokes can be prevented - keep your blood pressure down, avoid stress and depression, and avoid alcohol (although some studies suggest a glass of red wine might be heart healthy), get exercise, keep your weight down. 

I see too many friends who might be “walking timebombs” in terms of strokes (and its related cousin - heart attacks). 

And, remembering the statistic that 23% that have a stroke will have a second stroke within a year!!!  Get started taking care of yourself!!!

And, remember FAST - is your Face drooping; are your Arms sagging; is your Speech slurred; then it is TIME to get help!!  The sooner you get help, the less severe the outcome.

LOVE WINS!!
Karen White, September 15, 2022, ©