World Stroke Day was commemorated on Tuesday October 29, and this week Stroke Awareness Week is marked from Monday October 28, to Sunday November 3.
According to statistics by the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa, in every hour in South Africa, five people will have heart attacks and 10 people will suffer from a stroke.
For Mina Gordon-Malloy, 52, from the Strand, the signs of a stroke earlier this year on Monday August 5, started with a feeling of weakness in her left leg, and later the morning progressed to her limping, having slurred and incoherent speech and not being able to lift her arm.
“I suffer from hypertension and diabetes and on the day, I was on my way to the clinic to get my 6-month check-up and my chronic prescription renewed, but on my way there I felt that something was wrong,” she says. The left side of her face she says, was also reported to be skew and that’s when she knew she had a stroke.
Since the stroke, she says recovery has been a bit difficult, but she is relieved that she can now walk without difficulty with her left leg again and her speech has improved to the point where people can understand her.
After the stroke her recovery includes sessions with a physiotherapist as well as occupational therapy. She feels positive about her recovery. “I feel good about getting better and I can use my left hand again, although not completely yet, but I do feel much better,” she says.
According to Dr Werner Viljoen, a medical specialist at Helderberg Hospital, a stroke is a serious medical condition affecting the blood supply to the brain. He says: “A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted or significantly reduced for some reason, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients.”
Dr Viljoen says there are two primary types of strokes: an ischaemic stroke, which is the most common type of strokes, caused by a blockage in an artery supplying blood to the brain. He says this is often caused by a clot or fatty deposits narrowing the blood vessels.
Then the haemorrhagic stroke, that occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, leading to bleeding (haemorrhage) in or around the brain.
Dr Viljoen says common causes of a haemorrhagic stroke include high blood pressure, aneurysms, or trauma.
“Without a sufficient supply of blood, brain cells begin to die within minutes, leading to potential brain damage and loss of function,” he explains.
As time is of the essence when someone suffers a stroke, knowing which signs to look out for can be lifesaving.
Stroke symptoms say Dr Viljoen can be summed up with the acronym FAST.
Things to look out for are:
F – stands for face; check to see if one side of the face is drooping,
A –stands for arms; here you need to check whether the person can raise both arms or if one arm is weak,
S – stands for speech and here you need to ascertain whether the person’s speech is slurred or difficult to understand.
Then lastly T – stands for time and is a reminder to act quickly once any of the symptoms are detected.
“Time is critical. If you observe any of these signs, seek medical advice as quickly as possible,” Dr Viljoen advises.
“Other symptoms may include sudden confusion, trouble seeing in one or both eyes, difficulty walking, dizziness, or a sudden severe headache with no known cause,” Dr Viljoen adds.
In answer to whether strokes can be prevented, Dr Viljoen says yes, some strokes are preventable and there are some recommendations on controllable preventative strategies people can implement.
Dr Viljoen emphasises that the key to stroke prevention lies in making healthy lifestyle choices. “Leading a healthy lifestyle is critical in stroke prevention. Prevention focuses on managing risk factors which are within our control, such as high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity. Controlling these risk factors significantly reduces stroke risk,” he says.
Dr Viljoen says there are common risk factors that are beyond people’s control, and these include age, gender, family history and having suffered a stroke or heart attack before. Thus, administering medication to individuals with certain risk factors can also play a significant role in stroke prevention.
He advises those who might need medications to reduce their stroke risks due to suffering from medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or an irregular heart rhythm, to consult with health professionals for medical advice. “Often a combination approach works best, but your healthcare provider will be able to assist with your healthcare needs.”
There is treatment for when a person has had a stroke, says Dr Viljoen and explains stroke treatment will depend on the timing of a stroke, the type of stroke suffered and treatment plans by a health professional will be determined based on the type of stroke identified.
“Recovery treatment plans could include rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, speech, and occupational therapy, which is often necessary to regain lost function after a stroke,” he says.
An organisation focused on stroke support and rehabilitation in the Helderberg basin, is non-profit organisation, the Helderberg Stroke Support Group (HSSG) and Claudia Andrews, from HSSG, says the main message they convey to stroke sufferers and their families is one containing hope. “There is a life after stroke. It may not be the life you had before, but you survived, and you are a stronger person for it.”pathways
She says rehabilitation plays a huge role in recovery after suffering a stroke. “Rehabilitation allows the person to maintain their current level of functioning as well as stimulating the brain to keep communication with the body and build new pathways that have been affected by the stroke. We also find the more committed the person is to recovery and want to get better, the better the outcomes.”
What’s important for loved ones or caregivers to keep in mind with a stroke sufferer’s recovery, says Ms Andrews is to realise the huge, life-changing impact of a stroke and be willing to exercise a great deal of patience to the situation.
Reaching out to support mechanisms is crucial in recovery. “Joining a supportive community such as the Helderberg Stroke Support group gives both the survivor and family a base of knowledge in terms of rehabilitation as well as offering a support system of those who understand and have been through it too,” she says.
Although, recovery after a stroke is dependent on many factors; it is possible in many cases. “At the Helderberg Stroke Support Group we believe in the strength and courage of each and every one of our stroke survivors who have shown recovery is possible – you just need to have faith, be strong and seek support,” Ms Andrews says.
For more information on strokes, support services provided by the Helderberg Stroke Support, or to donate to their work, visit, www.hssg.org.za/ or send an email to omhssg@gmail.com
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