Healthy Heart
A loss of emotional control is quite common, laughing and smiling one moment and in tears and sobbing the next. Tears may be the result of some happy emotion, like listening to a great piece of music, or they may have no apparent cause at all. Some people may get depressed because they cannot stop … Read more
Some people have a loss of the field of vision on the same side as the paralysis. This is rather like wearing goggles with masking tape over either the right or left side of each lens. These people will tend to bump into furniture and be unable to find objects which are on the affected … Read more
Some areas of the brain are concerned with personality, behaviour and an awareness of the environment in which we live. When these brain cells are damaged by a stroke the patient may behave differently and will no longer respond to the environment in the same way as before. This will be less obvious to outsiders … Read more
Many of the disorders that can occur as the result of a stroke are described here. Few people will experience many of them and some disorders will spontaneously recover after quite a short time. They are included here to help relatives and friends understand when the patient is behaving in a different way from before, … Read more
There are different forms and degrees of speech and language disorder. There may be an inability to control the tongue, lips or throat (dysarthria) or a difficulty in recognising words, finding the right word or putting words in order (dysphasia) in which case reading and writing will also be affected. Sometimes these problems occur together. … Read more
Many everyday activities are carried out with one hand while the other hand holds the work steady. There are many ways of stabilising objects such as putting a weight on top or non-slip material underneath. But it is better to involve the affected hand as much as possible even if only as a rather clumsy … Read more
Spasticity in the affected arm and leg, that is, tightening in the bent position, is a problem for many people after a stroke. This can be brought on by effort, anxiety and fatigue. It is often worse at the end of the day. Spasm can be prevented to some extent by good positioning of the … Read more
Someone who has had a stroke is likely to tire easily and may need frequent short rests and perhaps an afternoon nap. Deciding on priorities and concentrating energy on those activities that are most interesting or rewarding will help. If struggling to dress independently is so tiring that the patient has to sit in a … Read more
Any treatment the family doctor advises for high blood pressure or for too much fat in the blood-stream must be strictly observed, and alcoholic drinks should be taken only with caution and well-diluted, as their action may be enhanced by the effects of the stroke. Weight should be kept down by eating less fat and … Read more
After a stroke there is a temptation to lie in bed, waiting to get better and instead becoming weaker and more dependent on others. As soon as the doctor allows, the patient should get out of bed, if only to sit in a chair, and progress to getting dressed and beginning to join in the … Read more