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When the mechanism of the supply of blood to the brain doesn’t work well then there is a chance of a health condition what we call as ‘stroke’ to occur. This blood supply is so important and essential for the brain cells to get adequate oxygen and nutrient. In the severe stage of this problem can make certain brain cells to die which then will generate other serious health conditions. What else you need to know about causes and symptoms of a stroke?
You may also like to know more about stroke recovery timeline and best foods to prevent stroke, before continuing!
Stroke is categorized into serious health problem and therefore it needs a medical emergency! Promptly treatment is so important and crucial. Earlier diagnosis and treatment can help increase the chance of minimizing the potential complications and brain damage. Moreover, the length of time from the signs have been present is also so crucial for the guide of the treatment decisions.
So, call 911 immediately or see a doctor immediately if you or someone with you experiences any signs of stroke!
What causes and types of stroke?
There are some causes of this potential life-threatening disease which also used to classify types of stroke, which include:
- Transient ischemic attack (a condition of stroke that occurs due to a temporary decreased level of blood supply to certain part of the brain).
- Hemorrhagic stroke! It is usually caused by a burst or leaking blood vessel.
- And ischemic stroke, which usually occurs due to a blocked artery!
Mini stroke
It is another familiar name to call ‘TIA (transient ischemic attack)’. As mentioned before, a decreased blood supply in the brain (in temporary condition) is usually the cause of TIA. And in many cases, this mini stroke occurs less than 5 minutes. Fortunately, since there is only a temporary blockage, the symptoms of this type are also typically not lasting.
-- Read also more detailed information of mini stroke symptoms and effects of stroke on the brain!
Hemorrhagic stroke
This type is caused by the leaked or ruptured blood vessel in the brain. These causes can be generated by other health problems (such as; aneurysms (weak spot in the walls of blood vessel) and hypertension (high blood pressure problem)) that affect the mechanism of blood vessels to work. In a few cases, brain hemorrhages also can be caused by the rupture of AVM (arteriovenous malformation).
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Furthermore, hemorrhagic stroke is divided into two major groups;
- Subarachnoid hemorrhage! It is a condition of hemorrhagic stroke that occurs when an artery near or on the surface of the brain spills & bursts into the space between the surface of the skull and brain.
- Intracerebral hemorrhage! It is a type of hemorrhagic stroke that occurs when there are damaged brain cells due to a blood vessel in the brain that spills & bursts into the surrounding brain tissue.
Ischemic stroke
Embolic and thrombotic stroke are the most common forms of ischemic stroke. If compared to other types, ischemic is the most common type of stroke, which almost 80 percent of all cases! And as written before, the blocked /narrowed arteries in the brain are the cause of why ischemic stroke can occur.
Common stroke symptoms for women and men
There is no significant difference for stroke symptoms in women and in men. The level (mild or severe) stroke signs can vary, which usually closely associated to the type /cause of stroke itself, the position of the affected brain cells, and how severe the damage is.
Some common signs of stroke may include:
- Headache! One of common signs is severe and sudden headache, and sometimes also followed by dizziness, vomiting, or even altered consciousness.
- Numbness or even paralysis, which usually occurs on the face (loss movement in the face), legs, and arms. This may lead to sudden problems associated with balance or the ability to walk. For arms and legs, numbness usually occurs on one side of them. At the same time -- raise both the arms over your head, if one of your arms begins to fall, it may be an indication that you are experiencing stroke. Sometimes, when you smell you may also lose one side of the mouth.
- Problems associated with vision! You may also have difficulties (like blackened or blurred vision) to use one or both of your eyes -- and these problems usually occur suddenly.
- Difficulties to speak and get concentration, which then may cause confusion. People with stroke are more likely to get difficulties to understand a simple statement.
- Loss of coordination, balance, and sudden dizziness which then lead to difficulties to walk.
The progress of the stroke symptoms
Sometimes the progression of the signs may occur over hours, but in many cases it occurs suddenly. For instance, patient may experience mild symptom (like mild weakness) at first and then over time she/he may not be able to control /move the leg or arm on side of her/his body.
For patients who experience some smaller strokes over time, they are more likely to experience a more gradual change in thinking, walking, or behavior ‘multi-interact dementia’.
However, identifying the stroke symptoms is not always easy, because sometimes they are misinterpreted for the indication of aging or other health conditions. Once again, see a doctor immediately if someone with you /you experience any symptom of stroke!
In addition, you might also be interested to read about heat stroke (what actually it is?).
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Reference: MayoClinic and HealthWise
