Page 10 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - June 2020 - 27-06

Page 10 Senior Times - June 2020
ARE YOU EXPERIENCING A STROKE? ACT F.A.S.T.
By: Dr. Ryan Yoder, neurologist, Bronson Neuroscience Center – Battle Creek
Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and is the leading cause of serious, long-term disability. During this unprecedented time, we have seen a trend of patients not seeking care at Bronson when they’re having stroke symptoms. This can be a serious problem because one of the key factors to not experiencing long-term disability from
a stroke is to Act F.A.S.T. and get to a hospital quickly.
Two million brain cells die every minute during a stroke.
• Atrial fibrillation • Cholesterol levels • Diabetes
picnic.” Are the words slurred?
Does the person repeat the sentence correctly?
T – Time: If the person shows any of
these symptoms, time is very import-
ant. Call 911 immediately and get to
a hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.
Also make note of when you first noticed the symptoms.
clots block a blood vessel in your brain or
(irregular heartbeat).
• If you smoke, stop.
• If you drink alcohol, no more than two drinks
The Bronson Healthcare system treats full spectrum of neurological conditions and offers advanced stroke treatment. At Bronson Battle Creek, doctors initiate the clot-busting drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) to patients in the emergency department, then send them to Bronson Methodist Hospital—recognized by the Joint Commission as a Comprehensive Stroke Center—for more complex emergency stroke treatment.
neck. It is the most common type of stroke. • Hemorrhagic stroke is caused when a vessel in your brain breaks causing bleeding in the
per day.
• Find out if you have high cholesterol. If so,
brain.
Some stroke risk factors can be controlled, and some cannot. Risk factors you cannot con- trol include:
• Advanced age: most strokes occur in people
Risk Factors
work with your doctor to control it.
• If you are diabetic, work with your doctor to
age 65 years or older, but they can occur at
enjoy in your daily routine.
• Enjoy a lower salt, lower fat diet.
• Ask your doctor how you can lower your
Rehabilitation is vital to the recovery of stroke survivors. Patients can increase their strength, flexibility and endurance during reha- bilitation. If needed, patients can re-learn basic skills during rehabilitation such as talking, eat- ing, dressing, and walking. Treatment includes speech-language pathology, occupational ther- apy, and physical therapy. It is tailored to meet each patient’s needs.
any age.
• Family history of stroke.
• Ethnicity: African-Americans have a higher
stroke risk.
stroke risk.
• Gender: women have more strokes than
Act FAST to recognize stroke symptoms.
F – Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A – Arms: Ask the person to hold up both arms to the front. Does one arm drift downward?
S – Speech: Ask the person to complete a sim- ple sentence like, “John and Jane went on a
Lifestyle choices that increase stroke risk include:
What Is a Stroke? A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain stops. There are two types of stroke: ischemic and hemorrhagic.
• Ischemic stroke is caused when plaque or
Many people don’t know their risk factors for stroke. Risk factors can often be controlled or eliminated, which is one of the best ways to prevent stroke. In fact, up to eighty percent of strokes can be prevented by doing this. Take these steps to help lower your stroke risk:
• Know your blood pressure. If high, work with
balance, or coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known
• Tobacco use or smoking • Alcohol use
• Being overweight
Reduce Your Stroke Risk
Other stroke symptoms include:
• Sudden numbness or weakness of the leg.
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding. • Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes. • Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of
your doctor to lower it.
• Ask your doctor if you have atrial fibrillation
cause.
control your diabetes.
• Include exercise and physical activities you
men, and stroke kills more women than men. • Prior stroke or heart attack.
Some conditions that increase your stroke risk can be managed with the help of your doctor:
• Blood pressure levels
Bronson Neuroscience Center – Battle Creek is located at 300 North Ave. Learn more about stroke care at Bronson, at bronsonhealth.com/ stroke or call (269) 245-5862 with questions.
IMPLANTS $675 INCREDIBLE OFFER
Bring In Any Complete Estimate On Any Services And We Will Be Less By 25% To 50% Depending On The Services You Need. We Want You To Save Money.
Full Service Dentistry
WE CARE FOR ADULTS & CHILDREN
DR. WEST
For patients needing dentures, or have poor fitting dentures,get implants and hold your dentures tightly in place.
WE ARE ADHERING TO ALL THE COVID-19 SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
We Do Everything Dental Related
(no referrals needed). All Services Provided in a
Eat Apples Again!
(No More Sticky Glue.)
Implants $675 Per Tooth (Does Not Include Crown)
PAINLESS Manner.
We care and try our hardest to do the best work for you while making your visit a great experience.
RIGHT CHOICE DENTAL
475 E. Columbia Ave., Suite #5, Battle Creek, MI 49014 (Lower level) • (269) 968-9923 rightchoicedentalbattlecreek.com