Signs to identify a Stroke
A Stroke is a disorder of the cerebral circulation that alters the function of a certain region of the brain. There are multiple names to name it that may be more familiar to us, such as embolism or cerebral stroke. It can be of two types: ischemic or hemorrhagic.
Ischemic strokes are the most frequent and occur due to low blood flow in an area of the brain. The hemorhragics, however, in spite of being less frequent have greater percentage of mortality, since in these cases there is a rupture of a blood vessel with blood spill in the brain.
These processes are accompanied by symptoms that, if they are not recognizable to us at the moment, can mark a turning point in the subsequent consequences. The Hoffmann Method establishes a series of associated symptoms:
- Loss of strength, weakness or numbness in any part of the body, especially arms, legs and face.
- Alteration of sudden vision, blurred vision or loss of vision.
- Language alteration. It can affect the capacity for understanding or the ability to express oneself.
- Recent change in personality.
- Difficulty to swallow.
- Severe and sudden headache.
- Difficulty walking, dizziness and loss of balance.
Having knowledge of these symptoms can save our lives, so it is extremely important to recognize them. Strokes usually affected people of advanced age, but with the vital changes we are experiencing it´s increasingly common to find young people at risk of suffering it.
If we suspect that someone is suffering a stroke or even that we are the ones affected, we can make three very easy verifications of the Cinncinnati Scale:
- Facial asymmetry: in front of a mirror, check that the smile is symmetrical.
- Raise your arms: with closed eyes raise both arms at the same time for 10 ", since an abnormal symptom would be that one of the arms did not move or that there was no symmetry.
- Alteration in speech: you simply have to pronounce your own name or a simple phrase.
Although there are non-modifiable risk factors that increase the possibility of suffering a stroke, it must be borne in mind that there are others that can be changed. It´s in our hands to prevent them, as long as we carry out the following advice based on the Hoffmann Method:
- Control alcohol consumption.
- Avoid smoking.
- Practice physical exercise.
- Avoid overweight.
- Don´t consume drugs
- Periodically check vital signs
- Balance diet.
- Emotional control.
- Active mind.
The true importance of stroke prevention is not only focused on the symptoms that occur in the process, but on the consequences that can remain in the brain. In many cases they are irreversible and can limit us when carrying our life with normality.
As always, the option of caring for and pampering our body is just ours. If we prevent, we ensure our quality of life, and with it, our happiness.
