Stroke is a condition known to all for its deadly impact. Even if the affected person survives, the after-effects can be immensely debilitating right from affecting movement to speech. Being informed, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Here are the common signs of stroke that you should be aware of:

Numbing of arms and legs: Many people wake up and find that their arms and legs are numb and they tend to assume that it is due to compression of the nerve. But the actual reality is that the flow of blood through the arteries running up to the spine is reduced, and it has led to weakness or numbness on either side of the body.
Double vision and blurriness: Vision problems can also be a strong indicator of stroke even though most people think it is due to long hours of work or aging. When you see two images of the same object, it doesn t have to mean that you are reading too much. It could mean that the blood vessel in charge of supplying oxygen to the eyes has been disrupted or blocked.
Slurred speech: Some medicines, particular painkillers can cause speech issues. But this is not the case always; if it is not a side effect that you typically experience after taking painkillers, you should consult a healthcare expert without any delay. 
Confusion and trouble over thinking and articulating: When you find yourself in a state where you cannot recall the right word to explain the right thing, you may rest assured that it is an issue stemming from the stroke. If you find yourself to struggle thinking or finding a word very commonly, then you are heading for big trouble.
Balance problems: Some people have balance issues, and they think it is due to the dose of alcohol, but experts say it is crucial to identify whether this assumption is correct. You will never have delayed balance problems, and therefore, you cannot blame a drink that you had last day. So, if you have balance issues without any identifiable reason, it is advisable to call a doctor.
A headache that becomes intolerable at times: Headaches can be a sign of a migraine but in case you are not prone to this ailment, then the debilitating headache could indicate a stroke. Migraine headaches can also mean stroke since both of them have similar signs and symptoms.
Fatigue that won t let you stay upright: If you are not doing any physically strenuous job but still feel tired most of the time, it could be a warning sign of stroke. If it continues for over a week, it is recommended that you consult an expert immediately.
Equipped with this knowledge, stay aware and pay attention to the indications your body gives to take care of yourself.


7 Signs You Are Having A Stroke!

Blood pressure is one of the vital life signs in medicine, which, along with other vitals is widely used to assess the overall health of the patient. High blood pressure is very dangerous as normally it has no symptoms or signs and can fluctuate almost instantly. But, it could be managed. High blood pressure is said to be of higher than 120 (systolic) and 80 (diastolic).

A nap in a day might help in lowering blood pressure. According to certain research findings, people who sleep in the daytime had regular blood pressure as compared to people who do not sleep or do not have a short nap. Napping can effectively help lowering blood pressure. It helps the blood to control stress hormones and also helps the nervous system to keep a person healthy.

Daytime napping surely helps in boosting energy levels and efficiency throughout the day. Blood pressure increases after a nap caused by the body s normal circadian rhythm (for influencing and regulating sleep-wake pattern for a healthy cycle in a day). At the time of the morning, the body releases hormones such as noradrenaline and adrenaline. If the blood pressure increases too high, it could cause harmful effects. Blood pressure is usually lower at night while a person is sleeping. The blood pressure begins to increase a few hours before a person wakes up. The blood pressure continues to increase during the day, normally extreme in the mid of the afternoon. The blood pressure starts dropping again in the evening and late afternoon. Sleep helps the blood to regulate stress hormones.

Napping, since it helps in lowering blood pressure, definitely helps in reducing the risk of Sleeping for about seven to eight hours in the night might play a vital role in the prevention of high blood pressure. New research suggests that an afternoon nap is as productive as consuming a pill for lowering the blood pressure. Scientists have found that the people who take a midday nap are more likely to drop their blood pressure as compared to adults who don t take a midday nap and stay awake. Napping, since it helps in lowering blood pressure, definitely helps in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events like a stroke or a heart attack. It is as effective as other lifestyle changes, according to credible researches in medicine. It is interesting to note that napping, even when it reduces the blood pressure by 2 mm Hg only, reduces the risk of cardiovascular events by 10%.

Napping is a sort of shortcut and an effective method for lowering the blood pressure and could also be easily adopted and does not cost anything. Short midday sleep is important for our well-being. And, we can utilize this simple information very effectively for its potential health-related benefits simply by managing our daily schedule.

Napping & Low Blood Pressure - How Can Former Help Latter?

High blood pressure and sex

High blood pressure is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the artery wall is high enough to cause health problems, including heart disease. No symptoms may be noticed in a person for years but the damage to the blood vessels and to your heart continues. High blood pressure can have an impact on your sex life. Although sexual activity does not lead to any possible threats to your health but high blood pressure can affect the pleasure you would have otherwise derived from sex.

In Men

High blood pressure leads to the wearing out of the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries to narrow and harden that decreases the blood flow. This results in decreased blood flow to the penis. In case of some men, this decreased blood flow makes it difficult for them to achieve and maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure may also interfere with ejaculation and be a cause for low libido. The medications that are prescribed for treating high blood pressure may lead to this condition.

In Women

Just as in the case of men, high blood pressure results in the decreased flow of blood to the vagina in case of women. This may cause problems like low libido, vaginal dryness, or complexities in achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction in women results in stress, anxiety and even relationship issues.



High Blood Pressure and Sex

Ayurveda is an ancient life science that originated in india. It recognises herbs as medicines and yogic postures as well as lifestyle changes as the supporting factors in its medicinal field. It is called a life science because the basic mode of treatment is done by tweaking one's lifestyle in order to reach the root cause of the ailment, which will be cleared from one's life gradually. Congestion is recognised as the accumulation of too much mucus and fluid in your lungs and is usually born due to an imbalance of the vata dosha, as per ayurveda. This congestion can happen in the nasal or respiratory passages. Let us find out what else ayurveda says about congestion:

Symptoms: the symptoms of congestion include a tickling sensation at the back of the throat as well as the nasal passages, depending on the exact area of the congestion. Also, severe headaches and wheezing along with laboured breathing and tightening of the chest can point at the presence of congestion. In very severe cases, the patient may also complain of blood discharge while coughing, high fever, rashes on the skin, neck stiffness and other such conditions. 

Causes: there are various causes of congestion. While infection, allergy and cold are some of the most common conditions that may cause congestion, it has also been seen that congestion may arise as a symptom of a more serious ailment. Asthma is one such respiratory ailment that causes swelling in the airways, which can give rise to congestion. Also, inflammation of the bronchial tube lining can cause this condition where a greenish discharge happens due to the viral nature of the condition. Pneumonia and tuberculosis are also ailments, which can cause severe and painful congestion. 

Remedies: as per ayurveda, there are many remedies that can help in treating this condition. One can drink herbal tea all day as the anti-oxidants will help in flushing out all those toxins that are causing a painful build-up of mucus and fluids inside. Also, one can use essential oils like eucalyptus oil for inhalation, steaming and even massages. One must take care not to let this oil touch the hair as greying might happen. Yoga and aromatherapy can also be practiced so as to do away with congestion. Also, the patient can add a pinch of salt to a glass of warm water in order to do a saline water gargle which will eventually clear the air passages. 

Taking care of one's diet is one of the most important parts of any treatment in ayurveda. Ingesting warm liquids like milk and warm food can help in loosening and removing the mucus build up.

Ayurvedic Medicine for Chest Congestion Treatment

A stroke may be called a brain attack. It may happen to any person at any time. A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is cut off. The brain cells become oxygen deprived due to the stroke and eventually die. Dead brain cells result in brain dysfunction due to which patients lose control over muscle and memory.

Strokes can be mild to life threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Stroke requires advanced care and should be treated by extensively qualified and experienced medical experts. 

Neurosurgery satisfies all the required clauses for treatment of stroke and accounts for being one of the best ways for management of stroke. Renowned hospitals have a dedicated neurosurgical wing and a team of neurological specialists who know how to deal with stroke the best.

Vascular Neurology
This form of neurology focuses on patients who have undergone a stroke or have experienced symptoms of stroke. A multidisciplinary approach is taken for the prevention of recurrent cerebrovascular conditions.

Types of stroke

Ischemic stroke: This kind of stroke occurs when there is a blockage in a blood vessel, which supplies blood to the brain. This form of stroke is the more common. The underlying cause of this stroke is known as atherosclerosis, which is a condition where fatty deposits occur in the walls of the blood vessels and cause blockage in them.
Hemorrhagic stroke: This type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel gets weak and ruptures into the brain. This is caused by two types of weak blood vessels known as aneurysm and arteriovenous malformation.
Transient ischemic attack: This type of stroke is also known as a mini stroke. These attacks occur because of blood clots. The blockage caused is temporary or transient in nature.
Treatment of Ischemic stroke

Tissue Plasminogen Activator: This is one of the best ways to treat ischemic strokes. This medicine is given to the patient intravenously. It dissolves the blood clot and improves blood flow to the area of the brain which is affected. The medicine should be given within three to four hours after stroke symptoms appear.
Endovascular procedure: This is a process by which the blood clot is removed using a catheter, which gets inserted into the area of the blocked blood vessel. It helps in restoring blood flow to that area. 
Treatment of Hemorrhagic stroke

Endovascular procedure: Several endovascular techniques and methods are used so that the weakening of blood vessels is reduced and less bleeding is caused.
Surgical treatment: Different modes of neurosurgery may be undertaken to stop bleeding and for relieving pressure within the skull.

Role of Neurosurgery in Management of Stroke

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS, what this condition entails is a sudden and abnormal increase in the heart beat of an individual, causing them difficulty in breathing, dizziness, and even blackouts.
There are some factors that can trigger the situation and stem the sudden rise in the heart beat. Meeting with a medical expert may help bring the situation under control.

What is Postural Tachycardia Syndrome?
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome or POTS is a cardiovascular condition that is caused due to the sudden shift from an upright position to a supine position or vice versa. It is this sudden increase in heartbeat of an individual that is referred to as Tachycardia.

The longer you overlook this condition, the bigger is the trouble you are putting your health in. This is when it becomes extremely important for you to get in touch with a medical expert, who can offer you perfect consultancy, diagnose the causes and also find a result for the same.

What Causes POTS?
According to medical specialists, there are some factors that this condition stems from and it all differs from one person to the other. Some of the most common causes of the condition are-

Joint Hypermobility Syndrome
Faulty Gene
Poisoning
Amyloidosis
Lupus
Diabetes
Sarcoidosis
Siogren s Syndrome
Cancer
Signs of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome:
There are multiple signs that indicate that an individual is stricken by Postural Tachycardia Syndrome. Some of the more common signs and symptoms include:

Orthostatic Hypotension: Orthostatic Hypotension refers to the sudden increase in the heart beat by at least 30 beats per minute, within or after 10 minutes of rising up from a sitting or lying down position. Though the condition increases the heart rate, it does not trigger any drop or rise in blood pressure. Certain medications used to diminish this effect often extend some side effects, such as lightheadedness, palpitation, difficulty to breath, discomfort in the chest, weakness, heaviness in the chest area, nausea, cognitive difficulties and also stain on the vision.
Effects in Response to Postural Change: Almost one-third of the people with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome are noticed to faint as a result of the increased heartbeat, almost 40 beats minutes, instead of the chance in postural position. Other symptoms under this head include a headache, migraine, disturbance in sleep, fatigue, acrocyanosis or blood pooling in feet, etc.
Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome (EDS): Sometimes POTS is found to coexist in an individual with other conditions, such as EDS. This condition makes an individual prone to dislocation of bones, greater laxity in skin, loose- clicking joints, chronic fatigue, reduced level of tolerance towards any exercise, etc. According to medical specialists, though these are common symptoms of POTS, there might also be other signs. These signs and symptoms differ from one person to the other.
When Should You Consult a Doctor?
The moment you experience a POTS attack or for that matter notice some of the symptoms of the condition, it is time for you to consult a medical expert. The doctor will give you valued consultation, as well as diagnose the condition properly, thus finding the best treatment and suitable medication for you.

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome - All You Need To Know About It?

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