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How Does a Stroke Impact My Life?
A stroke is an attack on the brain. Since the brain is in charge of all our senses and everything we do, an attack on it can affect the way we function.
Communication and cognitive changes
The brain controls your ability to use language. Depending on the location of the stroke, it could affect your ability to speak, listen and comprehend.
Emotional changes
Because the brain also controls how we feel, people often experience emotional and behavioral changes after a stroke. A stroke may make a person forgetful, careless, annoyed or confused. Stroke survivors may also feel anxiety, anger or depression. Their behavior depends on which part of the brain is affected, and the extent of the injury.
Physical changes
The physical changes from a stroke may include the following effects:
Weakness or paralysis on one side of the body
If the stroke occurs on the brain’s right side, the left side of the body and face will be affected, and vice versa.
Fatigue
After a stroke, it’s common for patients to feel fatigued. The tiredness starts to lessen a few months after the stroke, but for some people, it can continue for years.
Spasticity
Spasticity occurs when specific muscles are continuously contracted. This can happen after a stroke, causing the muscles to tighten up and become stiff. Spasticity can be mild in some cases and severe in others, resulting in pain and spasms.
Understand your options for PFO treatment
If you’ve had a cryptogenic stroke and have also been diagnosed with a PFO, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of available treatment options to reduce your risk of another stroke.
Treatment options