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May is National Stroke Awareness Month, which makes it a good time to talk about stroke care and what to do if you or a loved one appears to be having a stroke.
Dr. John Min, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, shares the signs to look out for if someone is having a stroke and how to prevent it.
The most common type of stroke is where blot clots block vessels in the brain, cutting off oxygen. This can lead to significant deficits in speech and movement, or even death, if not treated quickly.
80 percent of strokes are preventable, so long as people act fast and get to a medical facility immediately. The signs and steps to follow to figure out if someone is having a stroke to think of the acronym BE FAST:
Balance difficulties
Eyesight changes
Facial drooping
Arm weakness
Speech difficulties
Time to call 911
Butterworth Hospital is a certified Comprehensive Stroke Center, which means they have the staff, expertise, and ability to treat patients who have experienced the most serious and complex strokes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Butterworth treats more stroke patients than any other hospital in Michigan.
In most cases, after a person has a stroke, physical therapy begins while the patient is still hospitalized and then continues on an outpatient basis, depending on the severity of the stroke. There are therapists who are specially trained to work with stroke patients and get them back to their best selves.
Other treatments and technology that allow doctors and medical staff to treat strokes are remote access research, implants to stimulate nerves to restore function in the brain, as well as a new device that can access a blood clot via a catheter.
Learn more about stroke prevention and treatment options at spectrumhealth.org.
