Stroke & Heart Attack; What You Need to Know

Stroke and Heart attack are among some of the leading causes of death in our country.  Though they are looming threats, it’s amazing how many people still do not know the warning signs to look for, or what to do if they suspect one of these major health events.  This may be due to our unwillingness to admit to our own mortality, or simply because you’ve never taken the time to adequately understand the implications of not knowing.  Either way, it’s always good to be prepared, even if you can’t control every outcome in life.  You could do a great deal of good for another human being if you know the signs of these life threats and what to do if you suspect them.

We’ll start with a heart attack, which is known medically as a myocardial infarction.  In bygone eras, if a person had a heart attack most likely meant that the person was going to pass away.  Now, however, with the advance of technology and more understanding of the heart muscle & how it interacts with the rest of the body, many people recover and go on to live healthy, long lives!  It is worth knowing and looking for the signs of heart attack so you’ll be prepared to call for help if you or a loved one should need it in the future.

Heart attacks generally present with some sort of pain in the chest that radiates down the left arm especially.  But do not be fooled into looking only at this as an indicator.  Shortness of breath, as if the person cannot get enough oxygen, and cold sweats are other indicators in almost everyone.  Some differences may be found in the ways that men and women experience heart attacks.  Myocardial infarctions in women are sometimes less pronounced in acute pain and more extreme in discomfort.  The female patient may feel nauseous.  She may also feel the pain closer to her stomach or in her back as this is located close to the heart.  Additionally, she may feel pain in her jaw and neck, dizziness or extreme fatigue.   Regardless of gender, people generally will present with pain, cold sweats and shortness of breath.  If you experience any of these symptoms, seek help immediately.

What can they do for a person who is having a heart attack?  They will most likely perform surgery which has the goal of opening whichever artery is closed. The sooner this occurs, the better.  If it occurs quickly, there are better chances of more of the heart muscle being saved and operational.  Obviously, the more of the muscle that is saved, the better life quality and recovery will be from that point forward.  Recovery is possible.  There may be lifestyle modifications, such as dietary changes or daily medications, but recovery is possible.

A person experiencing a stroke has a completely different list of criteria to look for than a heart attack, even though they MAY both be caused by blockages of blood flow (there are several different possible causes for both). Whereas a myocardial infarction affects the heart, a stroke affects the brain.

The end goal with a patient experiencing stroke is the same as one experiencing a heart attack, get help IMMEDIATELY!  The faster they are in, the less damage to the brain & the greater chance of recovery.  The brain needs oxygen in order to function properly.  If it is not able to reach all areas of the brain because a blockage or a hemorrhage, the parts of the brain that are closest to the disturbed area will begin to die off first. In stroke patients, every single minute matters for recovery.  If the patient is diagnosed and operated on quickly, however, they may well be able to recover and live full, productive lives.

Signs of a stroke are a sudden paralysis or limpness of a part of the body, like an arm, leg or face.  If this occurs on only one side of the body, it is a high indicator. If the person has sudden problems with speaking or with their vision or is suddenly confused it can be another indicator. Also, if someone has a sudden onset of difficulty with walking or balance.  If this has occurred, even if it passes and the person goes back to normal, please get it checked out immediately.  If a stroke has occurred, it is more likely to occur again.  A doctor is the only one who can say if it has happened and if it would be worse next time.  They’d also be able to decide whether surgery is necessary and if medication is recommended to prevent further episodes.

These things are scary to think about, but if you know how to identify when it’s time to call for help, you can greatly increase the chances of survival and recovery for the person you’re helping, even if that person is you!

 

 

Remembering Forgetfulness

 

 Forgetfulness seems to be a problem in the aging population.  Honestly, it’s become a problem in people much younger than ever before.  Things like stress, lack of sleep and underactive thyroid can be underlying issues when it comes to forgetfulness, as can alcohol use.  In this article we’ll be talking about common forgetfulness, not the deeper & more serious issues like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.  If you suspect these might be playing a role in your own forgetfulness or that of a loved one, please seek help from a medical professional right away.  There are some promising things coming out in that field, and the sooner you get help, the better it is for treatment.

 

Forgetfulness seems to become more prevalent after we have a few years under our belts, but there are things that can make it worse than you’ve noticed before.  Let’s start with lack of sleep.  During the process of sleep, our bodies are not just resting.  This is the time period when things in our short-term memory are being transferred to our long-term memory.  If your sleep is interrupted too many times, this working process is not completed and it is impossible for those memories to “stick” in long term memory.  Be sure you’re getting adequate amounts of sleep by sticking to an evening routine.  Turn off devices with light emitting from screens.  Be careful of what you eat and do right before bed to be sure it will not upset your sleep.  If you continue to have trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor about other things that you can do to help overcome the insomnia.  You will most likely see an increase in your ability to remember as soon as your sleep issues are dealt with.

 

Forgetfulness can also be increased in people with heavy amounts of stress.  Stress can be caused by good or bad changes in your life.  If you have a large amount of stressors in your life, do not be surprised if your memory is compromised.  If you’ve moved, gotten a new job (even if it’s a good shift) and had a loved one die in the past few months, your stress levels will go up and your memory will likely be affected.  If you have enough stress that you are feeling out of control & unable to cope, be sure to talk with a counselor about it so that you can get the help you need to move forward.

Forgetfulness can also point to other health issues.  If you are feeling like your brain is foggy a lot of the time, it may be pointing you to look at your thyroid.  Especially if the brain fog is accompanied by extreme fatigue, weight gain and hair loss, you should have your thyroid levels checked.  Once you know whether it is an issue or not, you’ll be able to choose a course of treatment that will work for you.

Multitasking is another, often overlooked cause of forgetfulness.  When we multitask, our brain is not allowed to put things into our short-term memory securely.  We switch to the next task before the thought is allowed to sit.  If we add to that sleepless nights, our brains do not have a chance to take those short-term memories and transfer them to long-term storage.  When we multitask, we are, in effect, training our brains to forget just as quickly as a task is performed.  If we do this often enough, it becomes the standard by which our brains operate.  If we are consistently checking our phones, for instance, in the middle of another task at five minute intervals, our brain will automatically make allowance for that and switch off to check our phone even if we were not planning to do so.  Brains thrive on habit formation.  Make your little habits work for you instead of against you.  Set a time or two each day to deal with messages that might come through on your phone or email.  Decide not to check them other than that.  If someone urgently needs to reach you, ask them to call you so you know it’s important.   Force your brain to attend to longer and longer periods where you’re working on only one thing at a time.  You’ll notice that it is difficult, but it also feels great!

Lack of hydration can cause a decrease in your mental awareness. B-12 deficiencies can contribute.  Lack of exercise can slow you up enough to decrease acuity.  There are a wide host of things that can contribute or cause forgetfulness.  Be sure to address your health from an overall health perspective.  You may be amazed at how much all of those small changes can add up to huge life change! Most importantly, remember forgetfulness!  Forgetfulness is your body’s way of screaming at you to let you know that there is something that is not right within your functional and cognitive systems.  It is something that you need to fix in order to be healthy.  Do not neglect it!