Meena Ganesh suffered a stroke: Why does it happen and what are its symptoms?

Veteran Malayalam actress Meena Ganesh, who passed away on Thursday, was hospitalised for five days after suffering a stroke. Most people aren't sure about what stroke, how does it happen or its major symptoms. Knowing the symptoms of stroke will help save your own life and the lives of others, too. Stroke is a medical condition when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked. Cases of strokes are mainly being reported in those who suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure. Preventing stroke to a certain extent is possible if you take proper precautions. Moreover, most people could recover and return to normal life with timely medical intervention.

Stroke happens when the blood vessels in the brain are either blocked by a clot (thrombosis) or when they burst (haemorrhage). It could lead to death or paralysis of the body. The risk of stroke increases as you age. Besides, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and stress are some of the major triggers of stroke. Heredity, too, maybe a minor reason for it. Poor diet and lack of exercise can also lead to many health problems, including stroke.

More than haemorrhage, thrombosis could be the reason for stroke due to diabetes, dietary habits, fast food culture, lack of exercise, high blood pressure and stress. Meanwhile, the cases of haemorrhage strokes have significantly gone down as people are quitting smoking, which is a major reason for high blood pressure.

Symptoms
Before a haemorrhage stroke, you may feel severe headache, nausea, facial paralysis, numbness in your hands and legs and weakness. The symptoms appear on the body parts depending on the part of the brain where blood clots happen. Sometimes, one side of your body could get paralysed. Numbness in legs, loss of balance, trouble speaking, and difficulty eating using hands or turning the key in the keyhole are symptoms.
SAH
Subarachnoid haemorrhage, or SAH, is a dangerous haemorrhage stroke that fills the brain with blood. Unbearable headache, vomiting and falling unconscious are the symptoms.

Treatment
Some hospitals in Kerala now offer mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure in which a blood clot is removed from a blood vessel by inserting a catheter. This procedure is effective and has high success rates. However, it cannot be done to treat all kinds of strokes.
Golden hours
If you notice a stroke's symptoms, medical help should be sought within four and a half hours. If it is not a haemorrhage stroke, then an injection to prevent thrombosis would be administered. Although there is a chance for bleeding, it is a treatment that can be given immediately. Most people will survive the stroke and return to normal life with this immediate medical intervention.

Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy could be effective for those who experience paralysis after a stroke. Significant improvement would be seen even a month after starting physiotherapy. Meanwhile, the patient’s condition would be better in three months. Besides, you should keep your blood pressure in check and take medicines to improve circulation and prevent blood clotting.
Heart diseases
Heart related ailments could also lead to stroke. The blood clot in the heart may move to the brain, leading to stroke. The haemorrhaging on the upper and lower arteries is what moves to the brain.

High blood pressure, too, could be the villain in such situations. The risk of stroke increases as you age when haemorrhaging happens in the lower arteries due to weak heart muscle. Meanwhile, those who suffer from valve-related issues too should take proper precautions as the risk of blood clots is high in them.
Information courtesy: Dr. Mathew Jose, (Neurologist) and Dr. James Thomas (Cardiologist)