What are the symptoms of a stroke?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 19, 2024
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Symptoms of stroke vary greatly, and it is crucial to judge based on the circumstances. The symptoms are mainly divided into two major categories: hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke. The most common symptoms of hemorrhagic stroke are severe headaches, projectile vomiting, and the gradual onset of consciousness disorders. Some people might also experience limb numbness, weakness, speech impediments, and other conditions. The most common symptoms of ischemic stroke include dizziness, limb numbness, and speech impediments; sometimes, these symptoms alternate, so it is essential to pay attention to clinical observations and focus on differential diagnosis. There are also other types of symptoms, such as cognitive decline, urinary and fecal incontinence, unstable gait, swallowing difficulties, and coughing while swallowing. Therefore, it is imperative to visit a hospital in a timely manner for testing to clearly understand the specific changes in the patient's condition at that time, thus better facilitating the patient’s recovery.

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Written by Tang Ying
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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What does "brain stroke dnt" mean?

The term "DNT" refers to the time from when an acute stroke patient arrives at the hospital to the start of intravenous thrombolytic treatment. Both domestic and international guidelines recommend the DNT to be within 60 minutes—the earlier, the better. This standard was established by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. The time it takes for pre-hospital emergency care and in-hospital medication administration is approximately 60 minutes each. It is only by improving the time from pre-hospital treatment to medication administration within this golden window that we can enhance the patient's survival rate, prognosis, and quality of life, while minimizing disability rates.

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Written by Tang Ying
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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Rehabilitation nursing for stroke patients

For the rehabilitation and nursing care of stroke patients, first and foremost, we need to monitor the patient's vital signs, food intake, sleep, as well as bowel and bladder function. Secondly, we should pay attention to their psychological state, checking for signs of tension, anxiety, and depressive emotional reactions. Thirdly, we encourage patients to overcome their illness and to establish confidence in their recovery. Fourthly, we guide patients to actively engage in physical function exercises, as well as daily activities such as eating and dressing to practice their daily living skills. Fifthly, we manage proper limb positioning and patient turning, prevent pressure sores, and also prevent a series of complications such as venous thrombosis and urinary tract infections.

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Written by Tang Bo
Neurology
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Is a stroke a cerebral infarction?

Stroke includes cerebral infarction. Stroke is divided into ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke. Therefore, ischemic stroke is cerebral infarction, and hemorrhagic stroke is cerebral hemorrhage. Thus, one cannot say it is solely a cerebral infarction; it includes cerebral infarction. If symptoms of stroke appear, such as unclear speech or limb weakness, it might be either hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. In such cases, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately. For hemorrhagic stroke, one should visit the neurosurgery department, and for ischemic stroke, the neurology department is appropriate. Initially, a CT scan should be performed to make a clear diagnosis.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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What is a stroke?

The English term for 脑卒中 is stroke, which generally refers to a group of cerebrovascular diseases. These diseases often onset acutely and mainly consist of two types. The first type is ischemic stroke, which includes diseases like cerebral thrombosis, watershed infarction, cerebral infarction, and cerebral embolism. The second type is hemorrhagic stroke, which primarily includes cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage among other bleeding-related disorders. Regardless of the type, the onset of stroke is very sudden, and patients rapidly develop severe neurological deficits. For example, a patient may experience sudden slurred speech, paralysis of one side of the body, or numbness and weakness on one side. There will inevitably be obvious symptoms like dizziness, headache, nausea, vomiting, and stiffness of the neck. If a stroke is suspected, it is crucial to rush to the hospital immediately. Doctors will make an accurate diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment based on the patient's medical history and cranial CT scans.

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Written by Sheng Wang
Neurology
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Causes of Dysphagia after Stroke

The causes of dysphagia resulting from a stroke are largely related to the location of the stroke. Dysphagia mainly involves the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerves, which are distributed in the medulla oblongata of the brainstem. Therefore, if you have a brainstem stroke, specifically at the medulla oblongata, there is a significant chance of experiencing coughing due to aspiration and dysphagia. If the stroke occurs in a different area, these symptoms are unlikely to appear. A stroke in the cerebral hemisphere, since it has bilateral nerve supply, does not lead to noticeable coughing if only one side is affected. However, if one side is affected this year and the other side next year, similar symptoms of aspiration cough and dysphagia will occur. Therefore, neurologically, the location and specific site of the stroke are crucial, as each location presents different symptoms.