Brain Conditions

Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, depriving a part of the brain of needed oxygen and glucose. There are two major types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes are much more common and result from an artery being blocked by a blood clot. The clot may develop in the artery leading to the brain or it may have broken off from elsewhere in the body and traveled toward the brain. Hemorrhagic strokes result from a blood vessel bursting, allowing blood to leak into the brain instead of following its normal path. Nearby brain cells are damaged by the blood that leaks from the burst vessel.

Symptoms of stroke include headache, vision problems, sudden inability to speak or understand, difficulty walking, unconsciousness, and numbness, tingling, or weakness on one side of the body. Diagnosis is usually made from a physical examination, neurological examination, CT scan, and/or MRI. Immediate treatment should be sought as medication, interventional procedure, or surgery may help restore functioning. Later treatments include “blood thinning” medication and surgery to remove blood from the brain, repair blood vessels, or repair a carotid artery. Many patients require physical therapy, speech therapy, and/or occupational therapy as part of the rehabilitative process.