What Is A Stroke?
So often, we will hear that someone we know or love has suffered from a stroke, but many of us really don’t know what a stroke is. Sure, you might know it has something to do with the brain and a big one is feared much in the way a big heart attack can be, but what is a stroke?
There are arteries in your brain and when it gets clogged or it breaks, you can find yourself at risk of having a stroke and suffering with brain damage. Many times, when a person suffers a stroke, they will wind up extremely disabled. Often, when people suffer from a stroke, they can get much of their mobility back through physical therapy, but sometimes, the damage to the brain is irreparable. This is because a stroke often kills brain cells and these do not grow back.
Some strokes are hemorrhage type strokes, which can often be very debilitating, but also have some of the highest recovery rates. This occurs when an artery breaks, and it causes bleeding in the brain. These strokes tend to be severe and are usually a result of thin blood and are not caused by clots.
The other type of stroke is usually caused from clots, or clogged arteries. People can often suffer from this type of stroke and consider them to be “mini” strokes. Often, when people suffer from strokes, the damage to the brain and lifestyle depends on the individual, so it’s not safe to assume that you will die if you suffer from a stroke, but you could be severely disabled, which could make the rest of your life less than pleasurable.
When you suffer from high cholesterol, you could be putting yourself at a high risk of having a stroke or heart attack, so it’s important to make sure that you can control this aspect of your health. Your doctor may recommend a prescription medication to help you keep your cholesterol levels down, and you might find that you have good luck in keeping your cholesterol levels down by changing your diet. While having high cholesterol doesn’t guarantee that you will suffer from a stroke, it is thought that this is a major cause of many strokes. Other warning signs for a stroke include being overweight, smoking, lack of exercise and genetics.
One of the best things you can do to help protect yourself from a stroke is to watch your blood pressure, especially if you have high blood pressure. Even if you are on prescription blood pressure medication, you need to make sure that you monitor it all the time. You also need to take the necessary measures to ensure that your cholesterol levels are healthy. Make sure to get plenty of exercise and watch what you eat as part of a healthy lifestyle.
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