World Stroke Week is from 28 October to 3 November 2022. Drs Siddi Ganie explain what a stroke is and what symptoms to look out for.
The World Stroke Organization (WSO) is a global non-profit organization that works to reduce the burden of stroke by informing, educating, and empowering people about stroke prevention, treatment, and care. World Stroke Week is a campaign that has been running for over 20 years and it was created to raise awareness about the symptoms of a stroke. The campaign aims to educate people on how to recognize stroke symptoms and get help as soon as possible.
Strokes are a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. They account for nearly 17 million deaths annually, which is more than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.
Strokes happen when one of the arteries in the brain becomes blocked. This prevents the blood from carrying oxygen to brain cells and dying.
A stroke can affect body parts on either side of the body, depending on where it happens in the brain.
The most common type of stroke is an ischemic stroke. This happens when a blood vessel that carries oxygen to part of your brain becomes blocked by a clot or fatty deposit called a plaque.
A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when there’s bleeding around or inside your brain, which may happen due to an injury (such as a blow to the head).
The first step is to recognize the signs of a stroke, which include slurred speech, numbness or weakness on one side of your body, and sudden confusion or trouble seeing. You must seek medical help as soon as possible from either your doctor or the nearest hospital.
Many risk factors play a role in a person getting a stroke, the following are some of them :
- Diabetes
- Blood pressure
- High Cholesterol levels
- Genetics
- Smoking
- Alcohol intake
Healthy lifestyle changes and taking control of health conditions that raise your risk are the first steps in preventing strokes.
Our Neurologists specialise in the treatment of strokes and other neurological conditions. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms book a consultation with us.
Contact us on :
- 031 539 3233
- WhatsApp us on 071 368 9277
- Email: info@neurodoctor.net
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