Stroke treatment and prevention

Submitted by Emma Hamilton on Mon, 08/09/2008 - 10:43pm

There is no treatment that reverses the damage done to the brain from stroke.

In this article:

Stroke treatment
Stroke rehabilitation
Stroke prevention

Stroke treatment

The best way to avoid extensive damage to the brain from stroke is to get to the hospital immediately if warning signs appear.

Treatment of stroke may include medications that help prevent further strokes or dissolve a blood clot blocking blood flow to the brain.

A person who has had a stroke may be cared for in a specialised stroke unit or after a stay in hospital enter a rehabilitation facility.

Some people recover well with rehabilitation and go home early. For others more extensive rehabilitation or residential care may be needed.

Stroke rehabilitation

Recovery from a stroke will vary according to the extent of the stroke and its effects. Rehabilitation can be frustrating and painstaking. If you are caring for someone who has had a stroke you will play a key role in supporting a person at this time.

The goal of rehabilitation is to regain as much independence and quality of life as possible. Rehabilitation is a continual process. Most improvements in stroke are seen in the first 6 months but can continue for years.

Rehabilitation may involve learning how to do basic daily living tasks all over again or in the case of disability, in a new way. This may involve learning how to transfer on and off the toilet, shower or eat with one hand. Extensive speech pathology to learn new ways of communicating may also be necessary.

A team of people will be involved in a person’s rehabilitation including doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, and physiotherapists.

It will take a lot of effort and hard work but putting in the effort in the early stages will help you and a loved one cope with the changes stroke brings.

If you are caring for a family member after stroke at home you will need extra support. Attending to personal care needs, transferring and showering a person after stroke can be difficult. You may be eligible for government home care programs that help carers care for family members at home.

Stroke prevention

In many cases stroke can be prevented. Major risk factors for stroke include age, gender and family history. A number of lifestyle factors contribute to high risk of stroke.

A person can reduce the risk of stroke by:

Keeping blood pressure low
Quitting smoking
Eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat, salt and alcohol
Engaging in physical activity
Taking any medications as prescribed by a doctor
Getting regular health checks especially blood pressure and cholesterol
Controlling diabetes

Discuss with a doctor how you can help a family member prevent further strokes. Caring for someone after a stroke involves understanding any medications prescribed for stroke and encouraging compliance.