What Happens During a Stroke?
A stroke happens when the flow of blood traveling to the brain becomes blocked or bursts. When this occurs the brain no longer gets the necessary oxygen required to survive and within a few minutes, the brain cells begin to die.
When brain cells die or are get damaged, the body can no longer control parts of the body (face, arms, and legs) and can leave the person with paralysis or numbness. The stroke victim might also experience trouble speaking, hearing, or seeing.
A stroke is a serious medical situation that requires immediate attention. If you think you or someone else is having a stroke, call 9–1–1 immediately. Don’t drive to the hospital or have someone else drive you. Ambulance medics can begin life-saving treatment as soon as they arrive at the scene and can continue treatment during the trip to the emergency room. During a stroke, every minute counts.
A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability, or even death. A stroke is the No. 1 cause of disability and the No. 4 cause of death in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association.
Types of strokes
There are two main types of strokes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Ischemic strokes account for 87% of all strokes. An ischemic stroke is caused by an obstruction of blood traveling to the brain.
A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a weakened blood vessel that ruptures and bleeds into the brain. This is typically referred to as an aneurysm. An aneurysm is like a bubble in a blood vessel that grows until it bursts. This can cause a hemorrhagic stroke.
The sooner a person is treated during a stroke, the better their chances of recovery. The American Stroke Association has developed a new mobile app, called F.A.S.T to identify symptoms. F.A.S.T stands for “If you see Face drooping, Arm weakness or Speech difficulty, it’s Time to call 911.
If you or a loved one is at high risk for a stroke, download the American Heart Association’s new F.A.S.T. mobile app for iPhones and iPads here. An Android version is coming soon. Download here.
In the News
Lately, medical malpractice news regarding chiropractors and strokes have been circulating. Here are some of the latest:
- In Ada, Oklahoma, 30-year-old Jeremy Youngblood was young, vibrant and attacking life head-on when he died. Linda Youngblood is haunted by the fact that when her son Jeremy went to a chiropractor in Ada, she ended up losing him. The autopsy says Jeremy died of acute cerebellar infarction due to manipulation of the neck. Dr. Bill Kinsinger, President of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, is an outspoken critic of chiropractic therapy. He believes neck manipulation by chiropractors is dangerous and even deadly. “The majority of the strokes happen in the vertebral arteries in the back. The stress on that artery at that segment where it makes that turn against that bone is most susceptible to stroke,” Kinsinger said. The doctor says when a chiropractor adjusts your neck, it can cause a tear in the artery which basically tries to heal with a clot. Full article here.
- It’s amazing that Elizabeth Caplan is able to simply make coffee. She’s a former nurse who suffered a devastating stroke when she was 44-years-old. Caplan said it happened while she was seeing a chiropractor. Her neck had just been adjusted when something went terribly wrong. Full article here.
If you or a loved one has experienced a stroke due to someone’s negligence, you are entitled to compensation.