What Is a Stroke?
Stroke is sometimes called a “brain attack.” With a heart attack, the blood supply to the heart is reduced or stopped. With a stroke, the blood supply to part of the brain is reduced or stopped. This means that part of the brain does not receive enough oxygen. Millions of brain cells die every minute during a stroke, increasing the risk of permanent brain damage, disability, or death. One common cause of blockage that leads to stroke is a blood clot or a build-up of fatty deposits (arteriosclerosis) in blood vessels that supply the brain. This reduction in blood flow results in an ischemic stroke, and most strokes are ischemic. Another common cause of stroke is a leaking vessel in the brain. This is called a hemorrhagic stroke.
Diagnosis
If you have one or more of the following symptoms, immediately call 911 or emergency medical services (EMS) so that an ambulance can be sent for you:
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
If You Think Someone Might Be Having a Stroke Act F.A.S.T.!
Emergency treatment with a clot-buster drug called t-PA can help reduce or even eliminate problems from stroke, but it must be given within 3 hours of when you start having symptoms. Recognizing the symptoms can be easy if you remember to think F.A.S.T.
Research shows that people with stroke who arrive at the hospital by ambulance receive quicker treatment than those who come by their own means.
Signs and Symptoms
If you are having a stroke, you might:
- Feel a sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Be confused about where you are or what you’re doing
- Have trouble speaking or understanding what others are saying
- Have trouble seeing in one or both of your eyes
- Have trouble walking, be dizzy, or lose your balance
- Have a sudden, severe headache that seems to come out of nowhere
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a kind of “warning stroke” or “mini-stroke” that produces stroke-like symptoms but no permanent damage. Recognizing and treating TIAs can reduce your risk of a major stroke. A stroke can cause a range of long-term problems, such as:
- Inability to move on one side of the body (“hemiparesis”)
- Severely limited movement
- Balance problems
- Weakness in the leg or arm on one side
- Off-and-on numbness
- Unusual physical sensations
- Sensitivity to cold temperatures
- Memory loss
- Slowed or slurred speech
- Difficulty remembering words
Can this Injury or Condition be Prevented?
Some risk factors for stroke can’t be changed—such as family history, age, gender, race (stroke death rates are higher for African Americans even at younger ages), and previous heart attack or stroke. But there are many other stroke risks that you can change:
- High blood pressure
- Cigarette smoking
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Carotid artery disease
- Obesity
- Physical inactivity
All of these risks can be reduced through lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise. As experts in designing exercise programs tailored for people with health problems, physical therapists can help you reduce your risks for stroke.
Relearning How to Use Your Upper Body, How to Walk, and How to Do Your Daily Activities
Your physical therapist will design a training program based on tasks that you need to do every day, selecting from well-established as well as cutting-edge treatments. Physical therapist researchers are at the forefront of innovating many of these techniques:
Your needs will change over time. Even after rehabilitation, your physical therapist will assess your progress, update your exercise program, help prevent further problems, and promote the healthiest possible lifestyle.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in adults. Stroke can happen to anyone at any time—regardless of race, sex, or even age—but more women than men have a stroke each year, and African Americans have almost twice the risk of first-ever stroke than whites do.
How Our Physical Therapists Can Help?
How well you recover from a stroke – and how long it takes to recover—depends on the size and location of the stroke, how quickly you receive care, and, in some cases, other health conditions you might already have. Rehabilitation begins very soon after your stroke, and your physical therapist is an important member of your healthcare team. The therapist’s main goal is to help you return to your roles at home, in the community, and at work. After examining and evaluating your condition, your physical therapist will develop an individualized plan to help you achieve the best quality of life possible. The plan will focus on your ability to move, any pain you might have, and ways to prevent problems that can occur after a stroke. One of the first things your physical therapist will do is show you how to move safely from the bed to a chair. Later, the therapist will:
- Help you relearn how to walk
- Fit you with a wheelchair, if needed
- Provide training to your family and caregivers
- Train you on how to use devices that can help you keep mobile when a stroke has affected your ability to move, walk, or keep your balance. They may use orthoses, prostheses, canes, walkers, wheelchairs—perhaps even robotics.
Depending on the results of the physical therapist’s evaluation, and depending on how long it’s been since you had your stroke, treatment will vary.on
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Where Can You Find Us?
(941) 744-9046
2601 Manatee Avenue West Ste E
Bradenton, FL 34205
