Myths about Stroke

Smoking is one the biggest risk factors and young smokers are likely to get a stroke

Myth: Strokes only affect the elderly.

Fact: Strokes can happen to anyone including children. Our risk increases with age but there’s an increasing number of strokes occurring in people between the ages of 18 and 65. This is linked to the growing incidence of obesity and high blood pressure.

Myth: Stroke happens to the heart.

Fact: Stroke is a “brain attack.” Some may have confused heart attack and stroke because both problems involve the circulatory system and can be caused by blood clots.

Myth: Stroke is unpreventable.

Fact: Strokes are largely preventable. Early detection and effective control of stroke risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity can greatly reduce the chances of having a stroke.

Myth: Strokes cannot be treated.

Fact: The majority of strokes are ischemic and can be treated. An emergency response to a stroke is critical within the first three hours of the onset of symptoms. If the symptoms prove to be a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), doctors can determine the underlying cause and work with you to prevent a potentially fatal or disabling stroke (someone who’s had a TIA has a high chance of having a stroke within a week).

Myth: The most common sign of a stroke is pain.

Fact: Only about 30 per cent of people will have a headache with ischemic stroke, so pain isn’t a reliable symptom. The most common symptoms include sudden onset of numbness or weakness on one side, double vision, confusion, lack of coordination, and trouble understanding what someone is saying.

Myth: Strokes aren’t hereditary.

Fact: Strokes do run in families. The vascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, all have a genetic component. The more rare causes in younger people such as cardiac tumours, clotting disorders and abnormalities with blood vessels can also be passed down from generation to generation.

Myth: Smoking doesn’t affect your chances of having a stroke.

Fact: Smoking is one the biggest risk factors. Young smokers are likely to get stroke. This is true for both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, as well as first-time and recurrent strokes.

Myth: Stroke recovery only takes for a few months after a stroke.

Fact: Most of the healing takes place in the first few months, but recovery continues throughout life.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my

Webmaster, Earn Money Here!
@ Safety Information...ThinkSafe,WorkSafe