Can someone with lacunar infarct work?

Written by Tang Bo

Neurology

Updated on September 25, 2024

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In cases where a lacunar stroke is discovered, it might be because symptoms have appeared, prompting a check-up that identifies the lacunar stroke. Such situations require proactive treatment; it is necessary to go to the hospital to decide when the treatment should end, after which one can continue working. If, however, a lacunar stroke is found during a routine physical exam without any symptoms, it might have been present for a while without causing any symptoms. In this scenario, one can continue working. However, regardless of the situation, it is advisable to further investigate the blood vessels to check the overall status of the vasculature.

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Written by Wang Bo Min

Neurology

55sec

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Can lacunar infarction recur?

Lacunar stroke is a common disease in clinical practice, mainly caused by the blockage of capillaries in the brain, leading to the necrosis of some brain cells. Lacunar strokes often occur in middle-aged and elderly people over the age of 50. The main causes of lacunar stroke are hyperlipidemia and abnormal blood components, such as high blood sugar, high blood lipids, and high blood viscosity. At the same time, there is concurrent cerebral arteriosclerosis. The occurrence of lacunar stroke indicates that the degree of arterial sclerosis has reached a certain level, hence the recurrence rate of lacunar stroke in clinical practice is relatively high. Once a lacunar stroke occurs, it is recommended that patients take statins to lower blood lipids and medications like aspirin to prevent cerebral vascular blockage, to prevent further incidents.

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Written by Tang Bo

Neurology

43sec

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Is lacunar infarction a serious illness?

Lacunar stroke is a condition where small blood vessels in the cerebral hemispheres or brainstem undergo pathological changes and eventually become occluded as a result of common risk factors such as prolonged hypertension or diabetes. This leads to the necrosis of brain tissue. Typically, the infarct size is less than 1.5 to 2 centimeters, resulting in clinical syndromes associated with impaired neurological functions governed by the affected area. Often, lacunar strokes may be asymptomatic in some patients, while others may experience mild symptoms. Generally, the prognosis of this disease is good.

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Written by Li Min

Neurology

1min 11sec

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Can lacunar infarction be treated?

Lacunar stroke, also known as lacunar infarction, refers to a type of brain infarction where the diameter of the affected area ranges from 2 millimeters to 15 millimeters. It is treatable, typically caused by atherosclerosis of cerebral arteries leading to ischemia and hypoxia in small capillaries, and subsequently, localized tissue necrosis. These usually occur more frequently beneath the cortical layer of brain tissue, as this area has a dense distribution of small blood vessels and is thus more prone to lacunar infarcts. However, if a lacunar infarct occurs in critical areas such as the thalamus, brainstem, basal ganglia, internal capsule, or the limbs and knee regions within the internal capsule, it can lead to a variety of clinical symptoms. The range and types of these clinical symptoms are diverse, including pure sensory, pure motor, mixed sensorimotor numbness in limbs, and issues with peripheral circulation. Though generally, treatment is relatively quick and straightforward, delays in treatment could lead to more severe clinical symptoms.

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Written by Xie Wen

Neurology

49sec

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Stroke rehabilitation exercise

In the early stages of a stroke, for bedridden patients, passive limb exercises can be conducted at the bedside. This includes joint loosening exercises and passive flexing of knee and elbow joints to prevent joint contractures. When not exercising, proper limb positioning is needed; sandbags can be placed on the inside of the upper limbs to avoid internal rotation, and the legs should be placed in stiff cloth shoes or T-bar shoes to prevent external rotation. Once the patient enters the recovery phase, they can gradually begin standing and walking exercises, while also receiving treatments such as medications, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and acupuncture. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Li Min

Neurology

56sec

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Is lacunar infarction serious?

Lacunar stroke, with diameters ranging from 2mm to 15mm, may appear minor in scale but results from long-term arteriosclerosis of cerebral blood vessels, leading to ischemia and necrosis in surrounding tissues. Clinically, symptoms can manifest as pure sensory, pure motor, mixed-type numbness in limbs, among other symptoms. Symptoms are generally mild and recovery is likely; however, long-term oral antiplatelet medications like aspirin are required. Additionally, stabilizing plaques with statins in combination with other drugs is essential. It's also important to maintain a low-salt, low-fat diet, and manage conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Therefore, its severity is relatively mild compared to extensive strokes.