Single Men, Beware! Stroke-Related Paralysis Can Be Prevented Before It’s Too Late
Many people think their life is their own, so they drink, smoke, or ignore blood pressure treatment. But when a blocked brain vessel strikes, the burden quickly falls on those around them.
A retired man living alone, who regularly enjoyed travel and drinking, did not control his blood pressure, did not check his cholesterol, and did not follow up on his health. One day, his employee noticed that he had not woken up and went in to check on him, only to find that:
- His left arm and leg were weak
- He was unable to walk
- He had difficulty speaking
Initial Examination Results
- CT Scan: No bleeding was found
- CTA: Revealed “reduced blood flow to the right side of the brain”
- The cause was a long-segment blockage of the major artery in the right side of the neck, preventing blood from flowing up to the brain
When the right side of the brain is deprived of blood flow, the left side of the body becomes weak according to the way the brain functions.
The patient was found more than 4.5 hours after symptom onset, which is beyond the treatment window for intravenous clot-dissolving medication (IV tPA). In addition, mechanical thrombectomy was no longer possible because the affected brain tissue had already become permanently damaged and could not be restored. The result was permanent paralysis, requiring full-time care.
This man had several major risk factors, including:
- Uncontrolled high blood pressure
- High blood lipids that were never checked or treated
- Regular alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Lack of exercise
- No annual health check-ups
These factors accelerate vascular damage → increase the risk of narrowing and blockage → and greatly raise the risk of paralysis.
1) Control Risk Factors
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Irregular heartbeat
- Stress
- Alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Excess weight
2) Exercise Regularly
Exercise helps improve blood vessel flexibility and lowers the risk of vessel rupture or blockage.
If you are one of those who love partying or are living alone and have never seriously screened your brain blood vessels,
“Design a Life Free from Paralysis” Comprehensive stroke screening with more than 14 assessments