HOME REMEDIES FOR STROKE

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is a life-threatening condition that happens when part of your brain doesn't have enough blood flow. This most commonly happens because of a blocked artery or bleeding in your brain. Without a steady supply of blood, the brain cells in that area start to die from a lack of oxygen. 

To recognize the warning signs of a stroke, remember to think BE FAST:

• B. Be watchful for a sudden loss of balance. Ask the person to stand and look for them to have trouble staying on their feet.
• E. Look out for sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes. Are they experiencing double vision?  Ask the person if they see blurry or have double vision or decrease in vision.
• F. Ask the person to smile. Look for a droop on one or both sides of their face, which is a sign of muscle weakness or paralysis.  
• A. A person having a stroke often has muscle weakness on one side. Ask them to raise their arms. If they have one-sided weakness (and didn’t have it before), one arm will stay higher while the other will sag, droop and drop downward. 
• S. Strokes often cause a person to lose their ability to speak. They might slur their speech or have trouble choosing the right words.
• T. Time is critical, so don’t wait to get help! If possible, look at your watch or a clock and remember when symptoms start. Telling a healthcare provider when symptoms started can help the provider know what treatment options are best for you.

Symptoms of a Stroke can involve one or more of the following:-

• One sided weakness or paralysis. 
• Aphasia (difficulty with or loss of speaking ability).
• Slurred or garbled speaking (dysarthria).
• Loss of muscle control on one side of your face.
• Sudden loss — either partial or total — of one or more senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste and touch).
• Blurred or double vision (diplopia).
• Loss of coordination or clumsiness (ataxia).
• Dizziness or vertigo.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Neck stiffness.
• Emotional instability and personality changes.
• Confusion or agitation.
• Seizures.
• Memory loss (amnesia).
• Headaches (usually sudden and severe).
• Passing out or fainting.
• Coma.

There are two main ways that strokes can happen: ischemia and hemorrhage.

Ischemic stroke

Ischemia (pronounced “iss-key-me-uh”) is when cells don’t get enough blood flow to supply them with oxygen. This usually happens because something blocks blood vessels in your brain, cutting off blood flow. Ischemic strokes are the most common and account for about 80% of all strokes.Ischemic strokes usually happen in one of the following ways:

• Formation of a clot in your brain (thrombosis).
• A fragment of a clot that formed elsewhere in your body that breaks free and travels through your blood vessels until it gets stuck in your brain (embolism).
• Small vessel blockage (lacunar stroke), which can happen when you have long-term, untreated high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) or high blood sugar (Type 2 diabetes).
• Unknown reasons (these are cryptogenic strokes; the word “cryptogenic” means “hidden origin”).

Hemorrhagic stroke

Hemorrhagic (pronounced “hem-or-aj-ick”) strokes cause bleeding in or around your brain. This happens in one of two ways:

• Bleeding inside of your brain (intracerebral). This happens when a blood vessel inside of your brain tears or breaks open, causing bleeding that puts pressure on the surrounding brain tissue.
• Bleeding into the subarachnoid space (the space between your brain and its outer covering). The arachnoid membrane, a thin layer of tissue with a spiderweb-like pattern on it, surrounds your brain. The space between it and your brain is the subarachnoid space (“sub” means “under”). Damage to blood vessels that pass through the arachnoid membrane can cause a subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding into the subarachnoid space, putting pressure on the brain tissue underneath.

What can cause of a Stroke?

Ischemic strokes and hemorrhagic strokes can happen for many reasons. Ischemic strokes usually happen because of blood clots. These can happen for various reasons, such as:

• Atherosclerosis.
• Clotting disorders.
• Atrial fibrillation (especially when it happens due to sleep apnea).
• Heart defects (atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect).
• Microvascular ischemic disease (which can block smaller blood vessels in your brain).

Hemorrhagic strokes can happen for several reasons also, including:

• High blood pressure, especially when you have it for a long time, when it’s very high, or both.
• Brain aneurysms can sometimes lead to hemorrhagic strokes.
• Brain tumors (including cancer).
• Diseases that weaken or cause unusual changes in blood vessels in your brain, such as moyamoya disease.

Other conditions and factors can contribute to a person’s stroke risk. These include:

• Alcohol use disorder.
• High blood pressure (this can play a role in all types of strokes, not just hemorrhagic ones because it can contribute to blood vessel damage that makes a stroke more likely).
• High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia).
• Migraine headaches (they can have symptoms similar to a stroke, and people with migraines — especially migraines with auras — also have a higher risk of stroke at some point in their life).
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Smoking and other forms of tobacco use (including vaping and smokeless tobacco).
• Drug misuse (including prescription and non-prescription drugs).
• blurred vision, dim vision, or loss of vision, especially in one eye
• tingling, weakness, or numbness, usually on one side of the body
• nausea
• loss of bladder or bowel control
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• loss of balance
• fainting
• sudden, severe headache (hemorrhagic stroke)

Treatments for Stroke:-

• Improve your lifestyle. Eating a healthy diet and adding exercise to your daily routine can improve your health. You should also make sure to get enough sleep (the recommended amount is seven to eight hours).
• Managing Blood Pressure:- Because high blood pressure is usually why hemorrhagic strokes happen, lowering blood pressure is a key part of treating them. Lowering blood pressure limits bleeding and makes it easier for clotting to seal the damaged blood vessel. Visit for more information https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318716
• Apple Cider Vinegar:- Apple cider is beneficial to stroke patents in a variety of ways. Apple cider vinegar is a natural detoxifier and purifier, so it functions to cleanse the blood and body of any toxins that may contribute to the condition. This vinegar also thins the blood and oxidizes it, making it flow easier throughout the body and being more effective as it does flow.
• Coconut Oil:- Coconut oil is rich in a specific strain of medium fatty acids. These fats function to improve nutrient absorption, which improves recovery. The unique composition of coconut oil also enhances the neural passageways to improve brain functioning and recovery.  
• Vitamin C:- Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant. As such, this vitamin eliminates free radicals from the body that may contribute to the condition. The vitamin also supports the replenishment of tissues and immune function.
• Manage stress:- 1. Massages, 2. Aromatherapy 3. Fun hobbies, such as reading, drawing, or playing board games 4. Positive self-talk  5. Get enough rest 6. Praying and fasting
• Turmeric: Curcumin, a compound in the spice turmeric may have neuroprotective effects for ischemic stroke, including supporting blood flow in the brain.
• Pomegranate: Pomegranate concentrate is high in antioxidants and phytosterols, which are plant steroids that lower cholesterol. It may support stroke prevention and recovery.
  
• Garlic: Garlic has neurotropic effects and may help support ischemic stroke recovery.
• Asian ginseng: A staple of Chinese medicine, many people believe Asian ginseng may improve memory and may have a neuroprotective effect.

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