- A stroke is a medical condition in which the cells in the brain die because of poor blood flow.
- A stroke occurs when the supply of blood to the brain is compromised; depriving brain cells of oxygen and the way that the blood was compromised determines the type of stroke.
- Stroke is of 3 types: ischemic, hemorrhagic, and transient ischemic attack.
- Ischemic Stroke:
- Clogging of an artery in the brain due to blood clot leads to an ischemic stroke.The condition that increases our chances of ischemic stroke is atherosclerosis, where plaque builds up on the arterial walls.
- As arteries grow narrower, the risk of a blood clot getting stuck becomes higher.
- Hemorrhagic Stroke:
- When an artery in the brain bursts, it causes bleeding in the brain thus resulting in hemorrhagic stroke.
- The condition that increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke is high blood pressure, where the extra pressure on the arterial walls increases the chance of rupture.
- Transient Ischemic Attack (Mini Stroke):
- It is a type of ischemic stroke where a blood clot gets caught in an artery in the brain and is much less severe.
- It is also known as TIA or mini stroke.
- It is also called a mini stroke because the clot resolves itself and leads to no permanent damage.
- However, it deserves emergency medical attention because it is still a medical emergency.
* It might be a stroke if any of these Hallmark symptoms are shown:
- If half their face droops.
- If they try to raise their arms and one drifts downward.
- If they slur their speech or talk gibberish.
* Other Symptoms for Rare Types of Stroke:
- Some rare types of stroke, like cerebellar stroke and pontine stroke, result in unusual symptoms like:
- Dizziness
- It might be a stroke if someone experiences sudden dizziness,
- For example, a pontine stroke often results in dizziness because the pons (located in the brain stem) controls our sense of equilibrium.
- If the pons becomes damaged by stroke, our sense of balance can get thrown off.
- Vertigo
- One of the serious warning signs of a stroke is vertigo.
- Since, cerebellum contributes to our sense of balance, about 3% of all people admitted to the emergency room for vertigo are actually experiencing a cerebellar stroke.
- Weakness on Both Sides of the Body
- Stroke usually happens in one side of the brain and usually results in weakness on one side of the body because each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.
- However, some strokes, like brain stem stroke, result in weakness on both sides of the body.
- Vision Problems
- If our vision takes a sharp turn for the worse, it could be a stroke.
- The vision center of our brain if damaged by stroke can result in sudden blurred or double vision.
- Headache
- Even though most headaches are benign, a rapid, knife-like headache is actually a symptom of a stroke.
- Some signs that a headache could be a stroke are:
- If it is the worst headache of your life
- If it came on rapidly
- If it is accompanied by other strange symptoms like vertigo.
- If anyone experiences any of these symptoms, we have to make sure they get immediate medical attention and insist on a CT or MRI scan.
- Above listed 5 causes are are not hallmark symptoms of a stroke, hence, not every doctor will check the brain for possible causes.