In the month of May alone, 65,000 people in the U.S. will experience a stroke. Many people who experience strokes are not even aware that they were at risk. To raise awareness, the National Stroke Association has designated May as National Stroke Awareness Month. This year, they have focused their efforts on increasing awareness of 10 modifiable risk factors that account for 90% of strokes.
Nearly 90% of all strokes are ischemic strokes, or strokes caused when blood clots block the blood vessels to the brain. There are many factors that play a role in the risk of stroke. While an increased risk of stroke can be hereditary, there are several other risk factors as well.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Hypertension is the number one most important risk factor. Nearly half, 48%, of strokes are due to hypertension. Following hypertension at the top of the list is lack of physical activity. Diet, smoking, obesity, heart disease, alcohol and stress are other modifiable factors that can lead to stroke. According to the National Stroke Association, the occurrence of strokes could be reduced by the amounts below if these factors were eliminated:
- Hypertension 47.9%
- Physical inactivity 35.8%
- Lipids (blood fats) 26.8%
- Poor diet 23.2%
- Obesity 18.6%
- Smoking 12.4%
- Heart causes 9.1%
- Alcohol intake 5.8%
- Stress 5.8%
- Diabetes 3.9%
Surviving a Stroke
The key to surviving a stroke is to learn the signs and symptoms and to act fast. The following symptoms should serve as warning signs and the person experiencing the symptoms should seek immediate medical help.
- Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body.
- Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
- Immediate onset of severe headache with no known cause.
While the best treatment is prevention, if one suffers a stroke, post-stroke rehabilitation is key to helping patients prevent or overcome disabilities from the stroke. New advances in rehabilitation show that the brain is capable of compensating for some loss of function due to stroke and advances in research and brain-based therapy techniques are offering new hope and marked improvement for many patients.
Chiropractic neurology stroke rehabilitation programs offer patients personalized care plans based on their unique needs. With the proper care, stroke victims can realize huge gains in returning their bodies to their natural function with the correct treatments. Chiropractic neurology utilizes cutting-edge methods that aims to provide patients with the maximum recovery and a return to the best quality of life, free from drugs. If you would like to learn more about our stroke recovery programs, please contact the team at Georgia Chiropractic Neurology Center today.
To learn more about strokes including ways to work toward prevention, signs of a stroke and much more, please visit the National Stroke Association or the American Stroke Association websites.