Strokes are also known as cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) or brain attacks. When you have a stroke the blood supply to a part of your brain is disrupted and stopped in a similar fashion to having a heart attack.
As your brain needs a constant blood flow this is a serious problem and unless the blood flow can be restarted to the area with a few hours, permanent damage may occur to it.
Like the heart your brain cannot repair dead areas so the immediate aim of stroke treatment is to reduce the damage. After a stroke your brain needs to make new pathways round the dead area and stroke rehabilitation is the best method.
There are 2 main types of strokes. They are ischemic and haemorrhagic strokes.
Ischemic is medical jargon for too little blood. During an ischemic stroke a clot that either comes from the heart or forms in a narrowed segment, blocks a small blood vessel. The resulting lack of blood means brain cells begin to be damaged.
Approximately 75% of strokes are caused by ischemia. There are of course risk factors and they include arterial disease, smoking, high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats, particularly atrial fibrillation.
Haemorrhagic is medical speak for too much blood. In a haemorrhagic stroke a brain blood vessel bursts, blood leaks and causes brain damage. It happens in around 25% of strokes and can affect any age group from babies to octogenarians.
The main risk factors are aneurysms (weak blood vessel walls which stretch like a balloon before 'popping'), high blood pressure (especially if untreated or unknown) and blood clotting disorder.
In the first few days to weeks post stroke you may find your recovery goes fairly quickly. This is due to the parts of the brain on the edge of the damaged area recovering after being affected by the stroke. This is a bonus and very good for your morale.
A fuller recovery involves you undergoing physical therapy, occupational therapy and possibly relearning speech, reading and writing.
In the past it was considered impossible for the brain to bypass damaged areas. This is incorrect and it is now recognised that with the correct stimulation the brain can bypass damaged areas and make new pathways for information to flow.
A steady flow of information to your brain and you responding to it is the way to get the best possible results for stroke rehabilitation. The whole thrust of rehabilitation is to boost your recovery and help the brain make new pathways. Much work is necessary but the results are usually worth it.