Apoplexy: signs and first aid

Apoplexic stroke, or stroke - is a disease that is caused by disorders of the cerebral circulation, which results in a decrease or cessation of blood flow in certain areas of the brain.

To date, this disease is considered the second among the causes of death. In addition, it is stroke that ranks first among those diseases that lead to disability. Approximately 80% of the population who suffered an apoplexy stroke become disabled for life, and 25% of them require constant care. In the countries of the former Soviet Union, such a high percentage is due to the fact that they have too low a level of emergency hospitalization of patients, and the rehabilitation period after stroke is not the last. In Europe, people with disabilities after a stroke are much less.

In order to properly and timely help, you need to learn to distinguish the symptoms of stroke in humans. The main ones are a twisted smile (one side of the face practically does not obey, a corner of the lips is lowered down) and a disconnected conversation. Hands a person can not raise to one level: the hand from the affected side is always lower.

To identify a stroke, remember a few things:

1. Ask the patient to smile.
2. Ask him to utter a simple sentence.
3. Suggest to raise both hands up.

You can also ask the victim to stick out his tongue. If it has a curve or irregular shape, it sits on one side, then the person most likely suffered an apoplexy.

As for the general symptoms of the disease, it will depend on the area of the brain that is affected. The fact is that each of the zones is responsible for some kind of activity, because a violation of one of them can cause either problems with vision, or with speech, or with the locomotor apparatus.

The most dangerous form of the disease is ischemic stroke, because it does not have pronounced symptoms at the initial stage. Headache, nausea and vomiting with it can then appear, then disappear. Hemorrhagic stroke, in contrast, has a pronounced symptomatology and at the initial stage is manifested by severe headaches, vomiting and clouding of the mind.

Remember that a stroke, the first aid in which is to quickly call an ambulance, you can not try to treat yourself. It is on how quickly the patient will receive medical care, the degree of his return to normal life depends. Before the doctors arrive, the victim should be placed on the bed, which is located in a room with good ventilation. It is necessary to unbutton clothing, which can cause difficulty breathing. If the patient had vomiting, her traces should be removed from the oral cavity. The victim can be transported only in a horizontal position.

In medicine, there is such a thing as microinsult. This is a transient malfunction of the cerebral circulation, which leads to temporary disturbances in human health. After a few hours, both speech and the locomotor system return to normal. But remember that good state of health does not last long, and the patient needs urgent hospitalization. The fact is that a microinsult, as a rule, can cause a real apoplexy.

The treatment of stroke is aimed at the prevention of recurrence and on the normalization of blood circulation. It is complex and includes vascular therapy, oxygen therapy and rehabilitation procedures (exercise therapy, massage, physiotherapy). Remember that rehabilitation can take a very long time, which requires a lot of patience from both the patient and his loved ones.