Monday, January 14, 2008

Heart Issues in Women…Part 3

The final part I would like to discuss is a stroke. In part two I touched on the basics including signs and a description. Part three I am going to talk about how a stroke can affect a person, whether it is a man or woman.

The effect a stroke can have on a person all depends three things: 1) area of the brain affected, 2) type of stroke, and 3) extent of brain injury. A mild stroke can cause little or no brain damage while a major stroke can cause severe brain damage, even death.

A stroke can occur in any of the four main sections of the brain. If it occurs in the left half of the brain a person can have speech and language problems, memory problems, and cautious behavior. If it occurs in the right half of the brain a person can have problems judging distance, short term memory loss, and impaired judgment.

If it occurs in the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination a person can have balance problems, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, or abnormal reflexes of the upper body and head. If it happens in the brain stem, which controls all our body’s functions, the person may develop paralysis or not be able to feel or move one side of their body. A stroke in the brain stem is the most harmful. Some symptoms may improve with time, therapy and rehabilitation.

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