What Do You Know About Strokes?

“Silent strokes” are real. They’re caused when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off.  But you may not notice anything out of the ordinary. Typically, you learn you’ve had one when permanent damage is found on a brain scan that you may have for some other reason.

A “warning stroke,” or transient ischemic attack (TIA), happens when a clot briefly keeps blood from getting to part of the brain. Unlike a true stroke, it doesn't cause permanent damage.

TIAs come and go fast, lasting about a minute on average. Unlike in a stroke, the artery reopens on its own. If you have a TIA, though, you’re more likely to have a full stroke in the months that follow.

When your brain is starved of oxygen, every second counts. If your stroke is caused by a clot, you may be given a drug called tPA to break it up. This can save brain cells and prevent permanent damage. 

For the best chance of a full recovery, you must take tPA within 3 to 4 1/2 hours of the first signs of a stroke. Many people don't get to the hospital in time. Stroke remains the top cause of long-term disability in adults.  

Having an angry personality can cause your blood vessels to narrow and your blood pressure to rise. People with short tempers have more thickening of the neck arteries, which boosts the odds of having a stroke.

If you have trouble controlling your anger, talk to your doctor about how to handle it.

Rehabilitation can help you learn to work around problems after a stroke, but you can’t repair the damage.  

Physical therapy helps build strength and coordination. Occupational therapy helps you take charge of life skills like eating and dressing. Speech-language therapy helps you improve communication.   

Brain bleeds, which happen when a blood vessel bursts, make up only 13% of strokes. It's much more common for a clot to block a blood vessel that leads to the brain. This can happen when blood vessels narrow from fatty buildup along their walls.

Signs of a stroke can include weakness on one side of the body and slurred speech. Chest pain may be a sign of a heart attack, which is also dangerous and needs medical attention right away. Facial drooping is another sign of a stroke that should not be ignored. 

The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, and vice versa. Any sudden changes that affect a single side of the body are red flags for a stroke, including:

• Numbness in an arm or leg
• Drooping on one side of the face
• Trouble seeing with one eye

Strokes are more common in women who get migraines with visual signs called auras. But the risk is still low, and doctors say these women are less likely to have disabilities after a stroke than survivors with no history of migraines. They’re not sure why.

If you have frequent migraines with auras, your doctor may tell you to stop taking birth control pills to reduce your chance of a stroke.

When part of the brain stops receiving blood and oxygen, that part can no longer do its job. If it's an area linked to language, you may have trouble speaking. If it's an area that controls muscles, you may not be able to move an arm or a leg. 

Men over 65 are more likely to have a stroke than women of the same age. Other things that boost your risk include heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a family history of strokes.

Ethnicity also plays a role. African-Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans have more strokes than whites or Asians.

Along with making your blood thicker and more likely to clot, smoking raises your blood pressure. Over time, cigarettes increase plaque in the arteries, which narrows them, making them more likely to blocked by a clot. You can also lower your risk by exercising and maintaining a healthy weight.