WESTSIDE — Obviously, I am not getting any younger, but I don’t think of myself as “old” yet, either. Therefore, I was somewhat surprised recently when my daughter, Megan, asked if her dad and I are aware of the warning signs of stroke. Later she offered me a small packet of information that contained facts about the subject.
I worked with a few stroke patients early in my career as a speech pathologist but haven’t thought much about the subject for a long time. I don’t think I am in a particularly high risk category, so I wondered why Megan wanted me to look at this information. Was she worried about me?
Megan explained that this health issue was one of the topics covered during an intense three-week training she recently attended and “there are a few things everybody should know, no matter their age.” I took this to mean that she cares enough about me to share things she thinks could possibly be beneficial, and it does not mean that she is expecting me to kick the bucket any time soon. Good and good, I say.
Because of her job in a rehab facility, Megan has already seen plenty of patients suffering the devastating effects causedby having a stroke. She also knows that the risk of stroke begins to increase for people in their 50s and beyond. That is another reason she thought it was a good time to share the info with her dad and me. And, after reading her packet, I decided to forego writing on a “fun” topic this week and do what Megan did: pass on some information that might be helpful to someone else.
Let me start with a disclaimer. I am attempting to condense information from different sources and this should not be considered a complete or 100 percent accurate guide by any means. I did my best, but please research sites such as American Stroke Association and National Stroke Association, and of course, consult with someone in the medical field for further information as needed on this extremely important topic.
With that said, I will cover a little basic information. Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked or interrupted. It is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and the leading cause of adult disability. Every 40 seconds, someone somewhere suffers a stroke, and more women than men are affected.
The list of stroke risk factors such as age, heredity, gender and previous health issues are things that can’t be changed. Others, however, such as smoking, high blood pressure, excessive alcohol use, poor diet, obesity and physical inactivity are more within control.Prevention is always the best medicine.
When stroke occurs, two million brain cells die per minute! Getting quick medical help is critical in saving lives and limiting effects. This makes it very important to recognize thewarning signs and resolve (for the sake of ourselves and our loved ones) to act quickly if and when they should occur. Sudden onset of any of the following symptoms should be considered an emergency:
1) numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg;
2) confusion, trouble speaking or understanding;
3) trouble seeing in one or both eyes;
4) walking dizziness, or loss of balance;
5) severe headache with no known cause.
National Stroke Association suggests using the FAST test to help remember warning signs. F (face) - Does one side of the face droop when the person smiles? A (arms) - Raise both arms. Does one drift downward? S (speech) - Does speech sound slurred or strange when the person repeats a simple sentence? T (time) - If any of thesesymptoms occur, independently or together, call 911 immediately.
Because so many strokes occur each year, sooner or later each of our lives will likely be affected in one way or another. Although we can hope to never need it, it sure doesn’t hurt anything to know some basic information. Recognizing the warning signs increases the chances of getting earlier medical intervention and that can be a real factor in the amount of damage incurred by the brain.
I appreciate that Megan asked the question that led to this little refresher course. It is good information to know, “old” or not.
Annette Rowe is a freelance writer from rural Gentry and a speech-language pathologist at Siloam Springs High School. She may be reached by email at awalkinthepark50 @ yahoo.com.
Opinion, Pages 6 on 06/08/2011