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Stroke - What Happens
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
- Topic Overview
-
Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
- Surgery
- Other Treatment
- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
- References
- Credits
When you have an
ischemic stroke 
, the oxygen-rich blood supply to part of your brain is reduced.
With a
hemorrhagic stroke, there is bleeding in the
brain.
- After about 4 minutes without blood and oxygen, brain cells become damaged and may die.
- The body tries to restore blood and oxygen to the cells by enlarging other blood vessels (arteries) near the area.
- If blood supply is not restored, permanent brain damage usually occurs.
When brain cells are damaged or die, the body parts controlled by those cells cannot function. The loss of function may be mild or severe and temporary or permanent. This depends on where and how much of the brain is damaged and how fast the blood supply can be returned to the affected cells.
If you have
symptoms of a stroke, call
Stroke is the most common nervous-system–related cause of physical disability. Of people who survive a stroke, half will still have some disability 6 months after the stroke.
Recovery depends on the location and amount of brain damage caused by the stroke, the ability of other healthy areas of the brain to take over functioning for the damaged areas, and rehabilitation. In general, the less damage there is to the brain tissue, the less disability results and the greater the chances of a successful recovery.
You have the greatest chance of regaining your abilities during the first few months after a stroke. Regaining some abilities, such as speech, comes slowly, if at all. About half of all people who have a stroke will have some long-term problems with talking, understanding, and decision-making. They also may have changes in behavior that affect their relationships with family and friends.
Long-term complications of a stroke, such as depression and pneumonia, may develop right away or months to years after a stroke. Some long-term complications may be prevented with proper home treatment and medical follow-up. For more information, see the Home Treatment section of this topic.
What to expect after a stroke
In addition to the more obvious physical problems you have after a stroke, you (or a caregiver) may also notice:
- Changes in speed of action.
- Changes in judgment.
- Changes in emotions.
- Changes in perception (the ability to judge distance, size, position, rate of movement, form, and how parts relate to the whole).
- Memory problems.
- Problems from neglecting the affected side of the body.
If you have concerns, discuss them with your doctor. Your doctor will provide support and may offer other suggestions for dealing with these issues.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: January 7, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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