Strokes - Diagnosis and treatments

We've all heard about the term stroke. We also know that, in India, we come across a million stroke cases. A stroke can happen to anyone and it's very much necessary to be aware of the various aspects of stroke.  Here's a brief study about the treatments and diagnosis of stroke.

Diagnosis of stroke

The doctor will check for various symptoms and signs according to which he will prescribe the treatments. He will also check the patient's blood pressure and also check for little cholesterol crystals and clots in blood vessels. Certain tests are done for precise information about the status of the stroke. They are the following:

• Blood tests: These blood tests are taken to know the time taken for the blood to clot, to check the status of the blood's sugar level and the balance of the chemicals. These factors will be managed according to the data received from the tests.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): The MRI is used to obtain a detailed view of your brain. Any brain tissue damage caused by an ischemic stroke and brain hemorrhages can be detected by such a method. A dye is injected into the blood vessels to get a detailed view of the arteries, veins and also the blood flow.
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan: A sequence of Xrays are used to create detailed views of the image. The CT scan detects tumor, stroke and various other conditions. A dye is injected into the bloodstream to get a clear view of the blood vessels in the neck and the brain.

Treatments

The treatment depends on what kind of stroke the patient has I.e whether it is an ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke is the common one where the artery is blocked and hemorrhagic is the kind of stroke that involves bleeding into the brain. Here are some treatments according to the type of stroke.

Ischemic stroke - Quick treatments ought to be provided in order to reduce risks.

* Intravenous injection of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA): This emergency treatment involves medications.  Tpa also called the alteplase is considered as one of the best treatments for ischemic stroke. This injection is given via a vein in patient's arm. The drug dissolves the blood clot that causes the stroke and the blood flow is restored.

* Direct delivering of medications into the brain: This is an endovascular emergency procedure. A catheter is inserted via the artery into that area of the brain which suffered stroke to deliver tpa. This procedure is known as the intra-arterial thrombolysis.

Hemorrhagic stroke - The main focus of the treatment is to control bleeding and reducing the pressure in the brain.

Warfarin and anti-platelet drugs can be used to stop blood clots. But when these drugs are used, another set of drugs are given to curb the blood thinners effect. Drugs are given to reduce the pressure in the brain as well.

The doctor can also recommend surgery to treat the abnormal conditions of the blood vessels as a result of the stroke. The surgeries usually recommended are endovascular embolization, surgical clipping, surgical AVM removal etc.

For first rated and reliable treatment for strokes, do visit Dr. Shyam Sundar K for  effective stroke treatment in Chennai.

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Know More About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a type of chronic disorder which can be seen in the form of recurrent and unprovoked seizures. Many individuals with epilepsy have more than one particular type of seizure and may have many other symptoms of neurological conditions as well. 

Clinical history, EEG testing and family's history are similar among a particular group of people with epilepsy sometimes. In these situations, their condition is defined as a specific epilepsy syndrome.

Although a seizure can affect all or any part of the human body, the electrical activities that produce the symptoms occur in the human brain. The location of that activity, how it spreads all over and which part of the brain is affected and how much, and how long it lasts etc all have a great effect.

Having seizures and epilepsy can affect an individuals safety, relationships with friends & family, work life and so much more. Public perception of what epilepsy is and treatment of the people suffering from epilepsy are often bigger problems to deal with than the actual seizures. 

Symptoms Of Epilepsy

• Whole body: fainting or/and fatigue
• Muscular: muscle contractions or muscle spasms
• Cognitive: mental confusion or amnesia
• Sensory: aura or pins and needles
• Psychological: fear or depression

Sometimes patient may have headache, sleepiness, staring spells seizures, anxiety, blank stare, or temporary paralysis after a seizure

Causes Of Epilepsy

• Brain infections
• Cerebral Palsy
• Brain Tumors
• Drug Abuse
• Hypoxia
• Infants with abnormal brain structures
• Premature Infants
• Family History

How is Epilepsy Treated?

The majority of epileptic seizures can be treated by medication solely, mainly by anticonvulsant drugs. The type of treatment followed will depend on a variety of factors, which includes the frequency and severity of the seizures and the individuals age, overall health, and medical history. An accurate diagnosis of the type of epilepsy is also important for choosing the best course of treatment. It can also be treated through drugs and many generic yet safe drugs are available for its treatment. This is a serious condition and needs to be treated as soon as possible.

Dr Shyam Sundar, an eminent neurosurgeon in Tamil Nadu, provides  neurological treatments and brain cancer treatment in Chennai at affordable cost.

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Know about Stroke and Its Warning Sign

When there is an interruption or sudden reduced blood supply to the brain, it leads to Stroke, which is a leading cause for many deaths. The reduced or interrupted blood supply to the brain occurs due to the blocked/ruptured blood vessels that ban the oxygen and nutrient feed to the brain. When brain cells begin to die, emergency medical treatment shall be given to the patient to avoid potential complications.

The major risk factors for stroke are

• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Heart diseases.
• Smoking.
• Risk of stroke increases as you get older and men are more likely than women to have strokes.
• Those who already had stroke are at higher risk for another one and one with the family history of stroke.
• Brain aneurysms.
• Alcohol and other drugs
• Lack of physical activity
• Overweight and Obesity
• Stress and depression

 Symptoms of Stroke   

• sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• sudden trouble seeing.
• sudden trouble speaking or understanding
• sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

Types of Stroke

Hemorrhagic stroke: This occurs when an artery in the brain bursts and leads to localized bleeding in the surrounding cells and tissues which kill the brain cells.

Ischemic stroke: It occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked. The neurons (brain cells) will not be able to pump the oxygen required for survival. This causes death of cells.

Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs)/Mini-Stroke: When the blood flow to the brain is stopped for a short period of time, it is called a TIA. It might mimic stroke symptoms and lasts for 24 hours. Though it will never cause permanent brain damage, TIA is an alert for occurrence of stroke in future and hence, should never be ignored.

Treatment for Stroke

Treatment for strokes differs from one kind to the other. The treatment methodology might include medication and surgical intervention with recovery and rehabilitation.

Hemorrhagic stroke treatments encompass controlling bleeding and pressure inside the brain. Generally, medicines are prescribed to lower pressure and prevent seizures. Once the bleeding stops, the stagnated blood is absorbed with a supportive medical care.

Stereotactic radiosurgery is a minimally invasive advanced surgery which repairs and corrects vascular malformations. To prevent aneurysms from bursting or re-bleeding, surgical clipping is done on the artery to stop blood flow.

Ischemic stroke treatment involves restoring blood flow to the brain. Clot-busting drugs are prescribed to dissolve the blood clots. A catheter with a small device is inserted into the brain to break up or grab the blood clot manually.

Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)/Mini Strokes are treated with antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants. If the patient has moderate or severe narrowed carotid artery, the surgeon will perform carotid endarterectomy to clear fat deposits in the carotid arteries. It prevents TIA from relapsing.

Dr. Shyam Sundar K is a leading Neurosurgeon, offers treatment for stroke in Tamil Nadu with help of dedicated team.

Visit us: chennaibrainandspine.com

Mail us: chennaibrainandspine@gmail.com