Our brain is a demanding organ, and it needs a constant supply of oxygen. To cater to the brain’s demand, arteries supply oxygen-rich blood. If something blocks this essential flow for even a minute, our brain pays the price, potentially leading to lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.
Brain Stroke: The Two-Faced Culprit
Brain Strokes, often dubbed “brain attacks,” come in two distinct types: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
- 1. Ischemic Stroke: Imagine a tiny traffic jam inside your brain’s highways. Ischemic strokes occur when a blood clot or plaque buildup blocks the flow of oxygen-rich blood within an artery. This blockade can be triggered by conditions like sclerosis, clotting disorders, heart defects, or microvascular diseases.
- 2. Hemorrhagic Stroke: Now, picture a catastrophic explosion in a narrow alley. Hemorrhagic strokes happen when a blood vessel bursts open leaking blood inside the brain.
High blood pressure, brain aneurysms, and brain tumours are common instigators of this explosive event.
The Culprits Behind Brain Strokes
Stroke isn’t a solo act; it often shares the stage with some notorious characters:
- 1. Excessive Alcohol Consumption
- 2. High Cholesterol
- 3. Migraine Headaches
- 4. Smoking
- 5. Drug Misuse
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How to Recognise Brain Stroke Symptoms
Stroke can be a stealthy intruder, but it leaves behind subtle clues:
- 1. Speech Trouble: Slurred speech or difficulty understanding speech
- 2. Paralysis and Numbness: Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg, often only on one side of your body
- 3. Vision Problems: Blurry or double vision in one or both eyes
- 4. Headache: A severe, abrupt headache with no known cause
- 5. Troubled Walking: Loss of balance, dizziness, or difficulty walking
When in doubt, think and act FAST:
- 1. Face: Smile and see if one side droops
- 2. Arm: Raise both arms and check if one drifts down or can’t lift
- 3. Speech: Repeat a simple phrase and listen for slurred or strange speech
- 4. Time: If any of these signs appear, call an ambulance immediately. Time is of the essence in brain stroke treatment.
Diagnosis to Unmask the Culprit
Sum Ultimate’s dedicated stroke emergency wing provides excellent precise neuro care backed by the best neurologists in Bhubaneswar.
Neurospecialists employ a series of diagnostic tests to rule out other potential culprits like brain tumours or drug reactions that may have caused a stroke-like symptom.
- 1. Check-Up: A physical examination, blood pressure check, and neurological exams.
- 2. Blood Tests: To assess clotting status, blood sugar levels, and presence of infection.
- 3. Scans: CT scans and MRI to inspect brain and neck bleeding, stroke type, and brain tissue damage.
- 4. Ultrasound: To evaluate blood flow and plaque buildup in carotid arteries present in the neck.
- 5. Cerebral Angiogram and Echocardiogram: To get detailed imaging of arteries in the brain, neck, and clots in the heart that may have travelled from the heart to the brain and caused the stroke.
Brain Stroke Treatment:
Brain Stroke treatment hinges on whether it’s an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Sum Ultimate Neurology Department is equipped with advanced technologies and tools for treatment, therapies and surgeries. Depending on the type of stroke, the course of action will be recommended:
Ischemic Stroke:
- 1. Emergency IV Medication: This is a therapy with drugs administered within 4.5 hours from symptom onset to dissolve the clot causing the stroke. Sooner the medication is administrated, better the chances of survival and reduced complications.
- 2. Emergency Endovascular Procedures: This is done in two ways and could significantly improve the outcome and reduce long-term disability. One, a catheter is inserted to deliver medication directly to the brain where the stroke is happening. Two, direct clot removal with a stent retriever, particularly for large clots that can’t be completely dissolved with emergency medication.
- 3. Carotid Endarterectomy: Surgery to remove plaque blocking a carotid artery.
- 4. Angioplasty and Stents: Surgery involves temporarily inserting and inflating a tiny balloon into the clogged artery to widen the area and inserting stents to avoid the possibility of narrowing again.
Hemorrhagic Stroke:
- 1. Emergency Measures: If the patient has taken blood-thinning medications to prevent blood clots, then drugs or transfusion of blood products are given to counteract its effects, lower blood pressure, and prevent seizures.
2. Surgery: Removing the blood and repairing damaged blood vessels.
3. Surgical Clipping: Clamping the aneurysm at its base to keep it from rapturing or stopping blood flow.
4. Coiling: Placing detachable coils into an aneurysm to block blood flow that can cause further blood clots.
5. Surgical AVM Removal: Removing tangled blood vessels to eliminate or lower the risk of rapture.
6. Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Using focused radiation to repair blood vessel malformations.
A Second Chance: Brain stroke Recovery and Rehabilitation
Stroke can leave lasting impacts, but recovery is possible with the right team of specialists by your side. Depending on the condition, the recovery journey may involve:
- 1. Physiatrists: Specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
- 2. Physical Therapists: Focusing on mobility and strength.
- 3. Occupational Therapists: Aiding in regaining daily life skills.
- 4. Speech Pathologists: Assisting with communication difficulties.
- 5. Psychologists or Psychiatrists: Addressing emotional well-being.
- 6. Neurologists and Neurosurgeons: Stroke experts steering your recovery.
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Rehabilitation may begin in the hospital and continue in a rehabilitation unit or skilled nursing facility. Every stroke survivor’s path is unique, but with determination and the support of the best neurologist in Bhubaneswar, you can reclaim your life.
Dealing with stroke emergencies necessitates an experienced and precise hand. With state-of-the-art research and laboratories, Sum Ultimate offers the best brain stroke treatment in Bhubaneswar. Our Neurology Department is led by the best neurologists in Bhubaneswar. With expertise in advanced technology and sophisticated imaging tests, they accurately diagnose stroke and other neurology conditions.
During a stroke, time is your greatest ally. Knowing the brain stroke symptoms, recognizing them fast, and seeking immediate medical attention can make all the difference between a full recovery and a life forever changed. So, remember to act FAST and never underestimate the power of your brain and the skilled hands of the medical team in battling the enigma of stroke.