College Essay On Stroke

A stroke is a disease that affects the arteries that lead to and/or are located within the brain. Strokes are the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disabilities in the United States.1 The types and degree of disabilities that result from strokes will depend on the type of stroke that has occurred and what part of the brain was damaged. Likewise, the rehabilitation regimes are individualized, revolving around the specific abilities that were affected by the stroke.
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. When this happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood and oxygen that it needs, causing those brain cells to die. After the stroke occurs and blood flow can no longer reach an area that controls a particular body function, that area of the body will not work properly anymore. Strokes are classified into three different types: ischemic, hemorrhagic and TIA (transient ischemic attack). The most common is the …show more content…
Patients may feel anxiety, fear or frustration. The sense of grief that comes with the aftershock of realizing the physical loss they have experienced can be overwhelming. Personality changes may develop. Clinical depression is also very common and can be detrimental. This disability is characterized by a sense of hopelessness that disrupts an individual’s ability to function.
Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of recovery after having a stroke. The goal of rehab is to help the patient relearn and regain the skills they had lost due to the stroke. Depending on the severity of the stroke and the complications that it may have caused will usually determine what functions can be recovered. There are many approaches to stroke rehabilitation and they may include some or all the following activities depending on what part of the body and which abilities were