By Peter Samuel
A stroke, or brain attack, is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage or bleeding.
This prevents oxygen and nutrients from reaching brain cells, causing them to die within minutes. There are two main types: ischemic, caused by a blocked artery, and hemorrhagic, caused by bleeding in the brain.
The most common type (ischemic) happens when a blood clot or narrowing of an artery (stenosis) blocks blood flow to the brain, while hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts, causing bleeding that puts pressure on brain cells and damages them.
During a stroke, the brain needs constant supply of oxygen and nutrients from the blood to function and without this supply, brain cells begin to die, which can lead to lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death.
Lost brain function cannot always be repaired, but sometimes the brain can slowly replace lost cells.
The symptoms of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body or face, sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding speech, sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance and sudden severe headache with no known cause.
A medical expert and neurologist, at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AEFUTHA) Dr. Samiu Okpara, has stated that one of the ways of reducing the chances of getting stroke is through modification of one’s lifestyle.
According to him, individuals should get their blood pressure checked, their sugar level checked, cholesterol level checked and there should be increased physical activities, such as bodily exercises.
He called on youths and those advancing in age to avoid smoking, and intake of hard and harmful drugs that could increase moods and cause euphoria, such as aphrodisiacs.
The medical expert who is also a senior lecturer at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo, Ebony State, FUNAI, further describes stroke as a medical condition by which someone gets a deficits – that’s someone not being able to talk, move his limb and that condition lasts for over 24 hours.
“The reason it is occurring is because the pipe that is carrying blood to the brain is not bringing in blood in adequate quantity. In our language, it is a focal or global deficit that lasts beyond 24 hours and of no origin than of vascular cause.
“Stoke is actually of two types. Number one is maybe the pipe supplying blood to the brain sometimes gets blocked; that is the common type and it means that blood will not get to the brain. The second one is that the pipe carrying blood to the brain experiences leakages,” he added.
Dr. Okpara, who explained that the misconception that stroke was a product of spiritual manipulation wasn’t factual, noted that naturally, the medical condition called stroke affects those of advancing age – ranging from 50 years and above.
He, however stated that, the risky lifestyles of young people nowadays have made them to be predisposed to the ailment.
“Now the misconception here is that some people feel that what causes stroke is of spiritual origin despite known physical entity to the stroke. That is one of the biggest misconceptions to the stroke.
“They don’t believe that there’s a medical reason as to why stroke occurs. It is believed to be spiritual and so, that is why the first port of call when features of stroke occur is usually either to go to the spiritual leader or the traditional healing centres.
“Commonly, the risk factors affect those of advancing age. We are also noticing stroke in younger individuals but the common age bracket is the advancing age; people in their 50, 60, 70, 80 – but other things could cause it.
“Let’s say a young individual who smokes and uses drug. There are some drugs that make the pipe that takes blood to the brain to reduce in size. There are other anomalies. Some are genetic. It is in the person’s gene and that can predispose them to having stroke.
“When someone suffers from sickle cell disease, the chances of getting stroke are higher because those gluts easily block the pipes, but commonly, the age group that suffers stroke is the advancing age.”
On the practice of using herbal medicine to cure stoke, the medical expert advised against such, saying that the best place to get treated of stroke is in the hospital, where the patient can get specialized treatment and adequate attention.
“Well, some individuals get away with that. The reason is simple: this stroke is of various types. There are some of the stroke that occur but it is a milder form of the main stroke which we call TIA. The difference with such stroke is that it has similar features but it’s doesn’t last beyond 24 hours.
“In neurology, TIA stands for transient ischemic attack, a “mini-stroke” caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain. It produces symptoms similar to a full stroke, but they typically lasts only a few minutes to an hour, and the blockage usually dissolves on its own without causing permanent brain damage. Despite not causing lasting damage, a TIA is a serious warning sign for a future stroke, and anyone experiencing TIA symptoms should seek immediate emergency care.
“Such individuals when they embark on herbal drug may allude or ascribe the recovery to the herbal drugs not knowing that it was just the natural way the same thing manifests within 24 hours but for the actual stroke, herbs are not helpful. In caring for stroke, the number one focus is in preventing another stroke from occurring. Because if one has suffered a stroke, the chances of getting another stroke are higher,” he emphasized.
He further explained that increased blood pressure, increased glucose level in the body, and increased cholesterol were some of the big risk factors that could lead to one having stroke.
“So, if someone suffers stroke, the reason the person must come to the hospital is that in addition to focusing on the disabilities that the stroke has caused, there’s emphasis on controlling the blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels and other biochemical and morphological abnormalities that maybe noticed that led to the stroke.
“It is not the herbs that lead to the recovery. It is just the coincidence that they took the herbs and they recovered. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in this country.”
Speaking with HSA, a lady who lost her father due to stroke, Mrs. Ijeoma Nadu, explained that her late father went through horrific experiences before he eventually died.
“There are different stages of stroke. When it affected my later father, we all thought it was a very mild medical condition until it became advanced. We were managing it at home until we had to seek medical help.
“It got to a stage where he couldn’t move his legs, hands and even walk, let alone talk . It was indeed horrific, painful and devastating. This is a situation whereby you are ready to offer help but the help is not producing the desired result.
“For me, the best way to tackle stroke is to get urgent medical attention if you notice any symptom relating to the ailment. It is so painful that the illness could make you see your loved ones in a helpless condition and you can do little or nothing to help them recover, especially when it has led to several forms of disabilities,” he stressed.
