Top 5 Kinds of Strokes and What They Mean

 You may have heard the term ‘stroke’ before. You may even know someone who’s experienced one — after all, they affect about 1.8 million people a year in India alone. But did you know there are multiple kinds of strokes? Each has a different cause and affects different functions. Knowing what kind of stroke you have can help save your life, as prompt treatment is crucial for recovery. Even the best rehabilitation center in Bangalore will conduct a thorough assessment to figure out the cause of the condition before they can help you overcome it. So let’s look at the five most commonly diagnosed types of stroke.

 

1. Ischemic Stroke

This is the most common stroke — affecting about 87% percent of stroke patients. If you or your loved one have suffered from an Ischemic stroke, this means that your brain has been affected by a blood clot. Clots are formed when fatty deposits line the arteries and increase blood flow. These clots can either form directly in the brain (thrombotic stroke) or elsewhere in the body and then travel to the brain (embolic stroke). This kind of stroke is indicative of excessive fatty build-up in the arteries, possibly due to high cholesterol. This fatty build-up could cause other health problems as well such as cardiovascular disease and heart attacks. 

2. Hemorrhagic Stroke

These are the second most common category of stroke, affecting around 13% of all stroke patients. A Hemorrhagic stroke is indicative of a bleed in the brain caused by a burst blood vessel. The blood leaks into the surrounding area and compresses the brain tissue, depriving the area of oxygen. A hemorrhagic stroke is usually caused by either an aneurysm or an arteriovenous malformation. An aneurism is a ballooning of a weakened region of a blood vessel. If left untreated, it will rupture and cause a stroke. If we think of an aneurysm as a grenade, an arteriovenous malformation is a minefield. It’s a cluster of misshapen blood vessels, any of which could rupture and lead to a stroke. It’s harder to prevent a hemorrhagic stroke than an ischemic stroke, but keeping your blood pressure in check can be a big help.  

3. Transient Ischemic Stroke (TIA)

Often called a ‘mini-stroke’ due to its milder symptoms this type of stroke is often a warning of something much more dangerous. TIA is caused by a temporary blockage in the brain by a blood clot. It causes stroke-like symptoms that last for a few minutes or up to 24 hours. Most people brush these attacks off as nothing serious, as they don’t cause any permanent damage, but 12% of stroke patients had experienced a TIA before their stroke.

Seek immediate medical you experience a sudden, temporary onset of these symptoms:

·         Weakness, numbness, or paralysis on one side of your body

·         Slurred speech or difficulty understanding others

·         Blindness in one or both eyes

·         Dizziness

·         Severe headache with no apparent cause

4. Brain Stem Stroke

Brain stem strokes often don’t present like other strokes, which may make them difficult to diagnose. For example, a patient may experience vertigo and balance issues but none of the trademark partial paralysis of other kinds of strokes. Because the brain stem controls all basic functions of the central nervous system, a stroke in this part of the brain can affect everything from movement to consciousness. In severe cases, it can even cause the patient to become ‘locked in’ — completely paralyzed except for the eyes. Though this sounds dire, it is possible to recover from a brain stem stroke. These kinds of strokes don’t affect the language center of the brain, so patients can be much more involved with the rehabilitation process. With some help from the best rehabilitation center in Bangalore, they can be back on their feet in no time.

5. Cryptogenic stroke

This is a stroke of unknown cause. One-in-four stroke patients will experience another stroke in their lifetime, but knowing the cause of the stroke can significantly reduce those odds. If you or a loved one have suffered from a cryptogenic stroke, be wary — you might be more likely to experience another one. If you start to feel any of the symptoms of a stroke after your recovery, contact emergency medical care immediately.

Experiencing a stroke can be very scary, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. With the right combination of emergency care and treatment from the best rehabilitation center in Bangalore, stroke patients can recover to live healthy and normal lives. Of course, prevention is often better than a cure — speak to your doctor today and assess your risk for stroke, and learn what steps you can take to prevent it!