Watch out for early signs of brain stroke

Life was great for 57-year-old Aruna (name changed), a mother of three children and an organised housewife, until she felt a reeling sensation a year ago.

She brushed the symptom aside considering that the dizziness could have been caused due to high blood pressure she had been suffering from.

She did not think of consulting a doctor immediately.

After three days, on a fateful evening, her arms became immobile followed by complete numbness in her legs while she was talking over the phone.

“Life was never the same for us once she was diagnosed with brain stroke caused by a blood clot.

With year-long physiotherapy and medication, my mother is yet to get back to normal life,” a worried Aruna’s son recalled.

Self medication proves fatal

In another case, self-medication proved to be fatal for Sreenu (name changed), a 24-year-old professional, who preferred swallowing strips of painkillers to fight his frequent headaches.

Though it offered momentary relief, he had no clue that it was one of the signs of cerebral haemorrhage and he paid for it with his life.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a brain stroke include numbness in arms and legs, giddiness, recurring headaches, sudden speechlessness, blurred vision and facial asymmetry or a combination of any of these, neuro-physician of Caring Hands Neuro Centre B. Demudu Babu explained.

Recognise initials signs

“People must recognise the initial signs and approach the nearest physician as soon as possible.

However, most patients ignore early signs of brain stroke and seek professional help only after they reach the vegetative state or after a paralytic attack.

Those with a family history of hypertension, diabetes and heart attack, among other risk factors need to be closely monitored.

The chances of saving a person from brain haemorrhage are high if the symptoms are identified immediately and treated within four and half hours,” the doctor said.

As October 29 being observed as ‘World Stroke Day’, neurologists warn that in India, for every one lakh population 200 complain of brain strokes.

Out of them, 25 per cent fall in the age group of below 40 years where the incidence of death rate is on the rise.