What You Need to Know About Stroke: Types, Signs & Treatments

A stroke is when part of the brain loses its blood supply and the part of the body where the blood-deprived brain cells stop working. It is also known as cerebrovascular accident or CVA. This loss of blood supply can be ischemic due to the lack of blood flow, or haemorrhagic because of bleeding into brain tissue.

Stroke or CVA is a medical emergency because it can lead to permanent disability or death. There are opportunities to treat certain types of strokes if the treatment starts within a few hours after the signs of a stroke begin.

There are 3 types of strokes:

• Ischaemic stroke
• Haemorrhagic stroke
• Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)

Here are the top warning signs of the stroke where medical assistance will be needed immediately:

• Face drooping
  When smiling, one side of your smile will be drooping down.
• Arm weakness
  Feeling of numbness, paralysis or weakened mobility usually occurs on one side of the body only. You won’t be able to raise one of the arms above your head.
• Speech difficulty
  You will not be able to speak properly and slurring on your words. You will also have difficulty understanding others.

Prompt intervention can restore blood supply to the brain if stroke patients receive medical care early enough. Stroke treatment depends on the type of stroke:

• Ischaemic stroke & TIA
  These types of strokes were caused by a blood clot or blockage in the brain, they’re largely treated with similar techniques such as clot-breaking drugs, mechanical thrombectomy, stents and surgery.
• Haemorrhagic stroke
  It’s caused by bleeds or leaks in the brain and requires different treatment strategies. Treatments for hemorrhagic stroke include medications, coiling, clamping and surgery.