Stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is interrupted causing brain damage. This is usually caused by a blockage of a brain blood vessel or bleeding when a brain blood vessel bursts. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain and this is essential for its normal function. When the blood supply is cut off, brain cells die and this causes the signs of stroke.
The most common signs of a stroke are sudden drooping of one side of the face, weakness of one side of the body and difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
A stroke may also cause numbness on
one side of the body, loss of balance or incoordination, double vision, difficulty
seeing with one or both eyes and severe headache.
Certain conditions and lifestyle habits can increase our chances of having a stroke. For example, lifestyle factors such as an unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, being obese, smoking or tobacco use and excessive alcohol intake can increase the chance of high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. And certain blood and heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rate or rhythm) can increase the risk of having a stroke.
Also, the risk of stroke increases with age. This is because our arteries narrow and harden as we age.
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