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How to Prevent a Stroke

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How to Prevent a Stroke

Although the word ‘stroke’ conjures images of being struck down suddenly —and it does feel like it’s out of the blue if it happens—, these episodes are years in the making and do not develop overnight.

Although there is more than one type of stroke, the ischemic stroke is the most common and it happens when some debris or blood clot blocks an artery or blood vessel in the brain. The result is that oxygen cannot reach the brain. Without the oxygen they need for respiration, brain cells start to die.

Although family history plays a role in the probability of someone having a stroke, there are other factors that one can control and be aware of to reduce the chances of suffering from a stroke.

Some steps you can take to reduce the risk of stroke

 Keep blood pressure under control: One of the major risk factors is high blood pressure. The goal should be to maintain a low or moderate blood pressure by reducing salt in the food you consume; avoiding foods with high-cholesterol; eating more vegetables and fruits; exercising.

 Exercise and lose weight: Obesity raises the probability of suffering from a stroke. Even losing a little bit of weight can have a big influence in the risk of a stroke.

 Don’t drink in excess: Having more than one drink a day significantly increases the risk of having a stroke. Do it in moderation.

 Stop smoking: Smoking increases the risk of a clot forming.

There are some signs that can herald an upcoming stroke, such as a sudden numbness to your face, leg or arm; confusion or lack of understanding; trouble in your vision; lack of coordination.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for stroke

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy —or HBOT— is a not-so-new treatment option that consists of the patient breathing 100% oxygen at high atmospheric pressure in a hyperbaric chamber.

The first recorded use of something like HBOT was in 1662, when it was used to treat some respiratory diseases. It became common in the 1940s, when the United States began using it as a treatment for their military divers.

There are many benefits to HBOT and some treatments have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as valid options for more than ten conditions. However, oxygen therapy for stroke has not yet been approved.

There have been some studies into the use of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy stroke treatment, but so far the results have been inconclusive. There have been increasing requests for the FDA to approve HBOT as a valid form of post-stroke treatment but so far the matter remains undecided.

There have been some cases where HBOT has reduced or even reversed disabilities resulting from a stroke, even years after the fact. The number of cases of stroke disabilities being successfully treated with HBOT, however, remains small enough that no conclusive proof could be acquired yet.

Still, with the use of this technology becoming more common in medical treatment, there could soon be more definitive results available.

 

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