Stroke Awareness Essay

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Unit 222-668 Stroke awareness (SCM 201) Outcome 1 Know what a stroke is 1. Identify the changes in the brain associated with stroke A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding brain cells. 2. Outline other conditions that may be mistaken for stroke Hypoglycaemia, a condition of low blood sugar, occurs when the level of sugar--also called glucose--in the blood drops below normal, The symptoms of hypoglycaemia often mimic those of a stroke. Those experiencing hypoglycaemia may exhibit aphasia--the inability to use or understand words. Hypoglycaemia can also produce hemiplegia, the inability to control motor functions, often on just one side of the body. Tumours or masses occurring in the central nervous system or brain can also mimic a stroke. Although masses typically increase in size progressively over time, the onset of symptoms may be sudden, just as a stroke. As the mass impedes on the brain or blood vessels, symptoms such as seizures and speech problems can occur. Epilepsy, classified as a brain disorder, occurs when a group of nerves in the brain generate abnormal electrochemical impulses. These impulses cause stroke-like symptoms including strange sensations, irrational behaviour, muscle spasms, convulsions and loss of consciousness. A hemiplegic migraine is a specific type of migraine headache that often runs in families. Migraines, throbbing pain in one area of the head, are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and/or sounds, according to the Genetics Home Reference. In addition to these symptoms, hemiplegic migraines cause temporary visual impairments such as blind spots or double vision and temporary numbness or weakness on one side of the body, a condition known as hemiparesis. These symptoms can

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