Microstroke in men - how it differs from a stroke, symptoms and first signs

Treatment of microstroke

Of course, it is not worth going into the details of the treatment of micro-strokes for people who do not have medical education and experience in treating such diseases.
For an ordinary person, it will be enough to simply understand the mechanism of rehabilitation for a micro-stroke, and leave the prescription of complex anti-stroke therapy to specialists, especially since this type of treatment is prescribed based on a person’s individual indicators. Treatment of strokes, in turn, is aimed at preventing the formation of blood clots and restoring normal blood circulation in nerve tissues. This disease causes damage to the nerve cells of the brain, which subsequently die and cause insufficient blood circulation in the circulatory system and the entire body as a whole. The overall normal functioning of a person is disrupted, which can even provoke an exacerbation of other chronic diseases. Therefore, self-medication in a situation where at least one of the main symptoms of a microstroke is obvious is strictly prohibited. Even the slightest delay in such situations can significantly change your life or the life of another person, not for the better.

In the treatment of a microstroke, the doctor is guided only by the patient’s clinical indicators, and in no way by gender characteristics. Although there is a fairly widespread misconception among people that males are more susceptible to micro-stroke. Signs of a microstroke in women are as common as in the opposite sex, although it is worth noting that the symptoms of a microstroke in men usually occur in a more pronounced form due to the aggravation of the condition by bad habits.

In any case, even the most experienced neurologist will not be able to make an accurate diagnosis based only on external manifestations; for this, a more in-depth MRI diagnosis is used. With the help of magnetic resonance imaging, even minor deviations in changes in the nervous system of the brain can be determined in great detail. This examination will help make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe you effective complex therapy.

Diagnostics

In order to correctly diagnose a stroke at the age of 30 in women and men, the clinic carries out a number of such activities:

• CT or MRI of the brain. During the examination, the doctor identifies the type of stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), and also determines the location and extent of brain damage.
• ECG to determine the functioning of the heart in order to identify the possible cause of a stroke.
• X-ray contrast angiography. Determines the type of vascular damage (blockage, stenosis or rupture).
• General and biochemical blood tests to determine blood clotting, leukocyte levels, sugar and lipids.

Causes of microstroke

TIA develops when one of the following situations occurs:

Prevention

Prevention of micro-stroke in men must be carried out after an attack, treatment and rehabilitation. This is also necessary for those who are at risk and over 60 years of age. Usually we are talking about the following rules and recommendations:

• proper nutrition and diet;
• moderate physical activity, gymnastics;
• massage;
• taking medications;
• regular examinations by a doctor;
• quitting smoking and alcohol;
• lack of stress;
• treatment of diseases of the heart, joints and blood vessels;
• normalization of blood pressure and blood sugar;

Typically, a course of prevention lasts at least three months, is carried out under the supervision of a doctor and may include differentiated methods that bring positive results in 80% of cases.

But the main thing that everyone should do is to be attentive and careful about their health, because only a timely visit to a doctor can guarantee recovery and a return to normal life within a couple of months. If it is possible to identify a predisposition to a micro-stroke in advance, the patient will never face consequences and problems in the future, and the disease will be eliminated forever.

Restoring the body at home

If you have suffered a mini-stroke, it will take time to fully recover.

Treatment during this period is a complex of treatment and preventive measures, which include:

• drug therapy;
• dietary nutrition;
• physiotherapy;
• therapeutic exercises.

Treatment with medications consists of taking medications aimed at normalizing brain functions and eliminating the consequences of a micro-stroke, as well as, if necessary, treating the disease that caused its development.

Dietary nutrition is also an important component of successful therapy during the recovery period. Lack of important micro- and macroelements, abuse of junk food rich in cholesterol and trans fats worsens vascular patency, provoking the formation of thrombosis and cholesterol plaques.

Physiotherapeutic procedures and alternative treatments include:

• hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches);
• acupuncture;
• massage;
• electrophoresis;
• electrosleep;
• water treatment, climatotherapy.

Physical activity should be dosed, regular and in accordance with individual capabilities. A course of physical therapy can be taken with a doctor’s direction in a physical therapy room.

In addition, it is important for the patient to create a favorable, calm atmosphere, to protect him from unnecessary stress and neuroses. Excessive physical activity and fatigue are not allowed

In general, it is necessary to reconsider the overall lifestyle and eliminate the negative factors that led to the development of a micro-stroke.

Nutrition is of no small importance during the recovery period after a mini-stroke. For therapeutic and preventive purposes, adherence to the following diet and principles of proper nutrition is prescribed:

For therapeutic and preventive purposes, adherence to the following diet and principles of proper nutrition is prescribed:

• fractional meals in small portions;
• exclusion of fatty, smoked, fried, salty, canned foods;
• limiting salt intake to 2-5 grams. in a day;
• reducing caloric intake.

The therapeutic diet should include fruits and vegetables, cereals rich in magnesium, potassium and fiber. Also, the diet should contain foods containing unsaturated fatty acids (vegetable oils, sea fish, poultry), and limited fast carbohydrates (butter and confectionery products, potatoes, rice).

As for drinks, it is useful to drink natural juices, compotes, and jelly. It is better to replace strong tea and coffee with healing herbal infusions (sage, chamomile, mint).

You may be interested in an article about the treatment of cerebral atherosclerosis.

Read here to learn how to normalize high blood pressure yourself.

Phytotherapy

Herbal medicine can be an effective and useful aid in treating the consequences of a mini-stroke. Healing plants normalize blood supply to the brain, reducing the manifestation of atherosclerosis.

For speech disorders after a micro-stroke, taking sage decoction is useful. To prepare it, 1-2 tbsp. sage leaves are poured with hot water and left for 1 hour. The resulting infusion is filtered and taken ½ glass per day. Duration of treatment – ​​1 month.

To normalize blood pressure, a mixture of herbs and medicinal plant roots is used: valerian root - 20 g; hawthorn - 20 g; yarrow - 30 g; calamus root and periwinkle herb 10 g each. Mix the ingredients, take 1 tbsp. and pour 0.5 liters of hot water. Place in a dark place overnight, then strain the infusion and drink 1 glass per day.

Shilajit has general strengthening properties.

Dosage is calculated based on body weight:

• up to 70 kg – 0.2 g;
• 80 kg – 0.3 g;
• up to 90 kg – 0.3-0.4 g;
• over 90 kg – 0.4-0.5 g.

The product is diluted in liquid. The best option is milk (1:20) or water, you can add a little honey to the drink. Shilajit can also be diluted in grape or cucumber juice, in infusions of blueberries, cumin, and parsley. The course of treatment is 14 days, then a break of 7 days. Number of courses: 3-4.

The key to success in restoring health after a mini-stroke is the creation of favorable conditions, both at home and at work:

• compliance with the work and rest regime;
• full sleep.

Stress and chronic fatigue can be factors that reduce the effectiveness of treatment and provoke the risk of relapses and complications.

Physical activity should not be excessive, but regular. Daily physical exercise in the form of exercise will be useful during the recovery period. It is also recommended to be outdoors every day.

Features of rehabilitation

For young patients who have suffered a stroke, it is very important to undergo timely rehabilitation. With all prescribed medications, it is recommended to do the following:

1. Massage of limbs that have lost sensation. It begins on day 2 after an ischemic attack and on days 5–6 after a hemorrhagic one. Systematicity and perseverance are important. Massage restores blood flow in the extremities and improves metabolic processes in tissues. You should always start the massage from the healthy side of the body in order to send impulses about the movement of the limbs to the brain.
2. Gymnastics. Indicated for developing joints of limbs that have lost sensitivity and for increasing muscle tone. Initially, it is advisable to carry out with the help of a specialist.
3. Physiotherapeutic procedures as prescribed by the attending physician. Electrophoresis and other similar manipulations activate the functioning of nerve endings, due to which the limbs quickly receive impulses from the brain and send them back.
4. Working with a speech therapist for speech loss. Restoring speech activity is important for further full social life.
5. Restore memory if necessary. Here a neuropsychologist and occupational therapist are involved in the work.
6. Restoring the functioning of the eyelids. Special gymnastics is required under the supervision of an ophthalmologist, kinesiotherapist and physiotherapist.
7. Taking drug therapy to stimulate higher nervous activity.

Important: vision lost after a stroke cannot be restored.

Disease prevention

Regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the condition of not only muscles, but also the walls of blood vessels.

Taking medication is not the only way to prevent strokes. Correction of risk factors, which include: • arterial hypertension; • cardiovascular diseases; • diabetes; • obesity; • unhealthy diet; • hypercholesterolemia; • hypokinesia; • insufficient physical activity; • bad habits.

What practical steps should you take to find out whether you are at risk or not? How, in turn, can we minimize their impact on the human body?

• If you have diseases of the cardiovascular system, such important indicators as pulse and blood pressure must be monitored twice a day, and it is even recommended to record the results in a special journal. There are special devices for this - tonometers, which can be bought at a regular pharmacy. If your blood pressure is higher than 140/90, you should definitely seek medical help from a doctor to prevent complications.

• People with diabetes should control their sugar levels. If it exceeds the norm, it would not hurt to consult an endocrinologist. You need to understand that patients who have such a risk factor are most often exposed to strokes and micro-strokes, their symptoms are more pronounced and often result in death.

• Weight control is an important factor on the path to proper prevention of micro-strokes. Excess weight is the cause of many problems with the cardiovascular system or simply provokes critical conditions of the entire body as a whole. Therefore, it is imperative to normalize a person’s weight, since it directly becomes fertile ground for a stroke. Therapeutic diets, consultations with a nutritionist, and sports will help you cope with this problem, if, of course, you want it.

• Elevated cholesterol levels, as is known, can also provoke the occurrence of micro-strokes and must be monitored by a doctor based on an examination and a lipid profile. This disease is directly related to the occurrence of microstrokes. Cholesterol plaques narrow the blood flow through the vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure and disrupting blood flow throughout the entire circulatory system.

• People who lead a passive lifestyle, move little, spend most of their time near the TV, walk little in the fresh air, are more likely to suffer strokes. It must be remembered that regular physical activity has a beneficial effect on the condition of not only the muscles, but also the walls of blood vessels, and also saturates the body with oxygen. Thus, favorable conditions for normal functioning are created in the body and the risk of stroke is reduced.

Infusions of pine needles with lemon juice perfectly restore blood vessels

• Bad habits are also the cause of frequent strokes. Of course, there is no arguing about the harmful effects of nicotine; its toxic effects lead to precisely those symptoms that can develop into a micro-stroke in a matter of seconds. Such symptoms include: high blood pressure, rapid pulse, general intoxication of the body and others.

• Doctors talk a lot about the dangers of alcohol. Some argue that a small amount of alcohol per day can prevent the development of atherosclerosis and reduce blood viscosity, which, in turn, is a kind of anti-stroke prevention. Others argue that alcohol in any dose has a toxic effect on the myocardial muscle and the brain itself. In any case, you should not tempt fate and abuse either one or the other. Bad habits are just a way of life that you can change yourself, and even so that there are no threats to your health.

First aid for microstroke

When symptoms of focal neurological dysfunction caused by a transient ischemic attack appear, first aid for a microstroke is necessary.

Be sure to call an ambulance (reporting the exact time when symptoms began) or quickly take the person to the nearest medical facility. When a person becomes ill on the street, you should find out if he has diabetes, and if he has this disease, give him a glucose tablet or a glass of a sweet drink (to urgently increase blood sugar levels).

While waiting for medical help to arrive, carefully monitor the person's condition. And to recognize a micro-stroke or stroke, paramedics recommend asking the person to smile (to check for changes in facial expressions) and repeat a simple sentence (to check for speech impairments).

You should also ask the person to raise both hands or squeeze your hand tightly (this can reveal hand weakness). If left arm weakness is detected, the person should be turned onto the right side (and vice versa) to allow gravity to direct blood to the affected hemisphere of the brain.

The rest is up to the doctors, whose task is to avoid a delay between the onset of symptoms and their diagnosis. Because it is necessary to use PLAT - recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase, Reteplase, Tenecteplase) within the first three hours from the onset of signs of an ischemic attack. By catalyzing the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, the main enzyme responsible for clot breakdown, PLAT promotes the breakdown of blood clots in blood vessels. But it is not used in the case of hemorrhagic microstroke and stroke (for which anticoagulants are required).

[], [], [], [], []

How does the disease progress?

The disease of microstroke occurs with mild symptoms . Therefore, it is not always diagnosed by a person. After a stroke occurs, a person may complain of a sudden fall. In the absence of other pronounced signs, a person, as a rule, does not pay attention to his well-being.

Pronounced signs include taking away one of the sides, distortion of the face, spontaneous distortion of speech, and others. When you identify the first signs, you must immediately contact a specialist.

Consequences of a microstroke suffered on the legs

We remind you that a transient ischemic attack requires hospitalization. It allows you to find out the reason why the attack occurred. If you do not seek help in time, the attack may recur. Some patients experience several attacks per day. And each of them can end fatally.

A microstroke suffered on the legs usually leads to ischemic-type ONCM, severe arrhythmia. In addition, TIA leads to decompensation of coronary heart disease.

Men

The stronger sex is more likely to experience micro-stroke. And this group has the highest number of refusals from hospitalization. This is why a transient attack is dangerous. The affected vessels are so small that they do not cause severe damage. Or the symptoms disappear altogether. This imaginary well-being usually leads to severe strokes. And the most common reason is the lack of timely medical care.

Remember about the risk group:

• Age over 60 years;
• Drinking alcohol;
• Smoking;
• Obesity;
• Diabetes;
• Arterial hypertension;
• Systemic atherosclerosis.

Microstroke in diabetes mellitus (DM)

It is known that blood vessels are additionally affected in this disease. Their walls become thinner, and atherosclerosis progresses. An additional risk factor is increased diuresis in diabetes. This creates additional conditions for blood thickening. Therefore, strokes with diabetes occur 2.5 times more often.

In an elderly patient with this disease, the risk of having a stroke after a TIA increases several times. And the main role in this is played by collateral circulation. When a blood clot closes a major vessel, blood rushes around the blockage. At the same time, diabetes turns small capillaries into hard “glass” tubes that are not able to compensate for such blood flow. Ischemia intensifies.

Women

Micro-stroke “on your feet” is experienced by 30-40% of the population in developed countries. In Russia there are no adequate statistics. However, these numbers will be higher. What follows an ischemic attack in a woman?

Firstly, any brain hypoxia leads to unusual fatigue, depression and headaches. If the patient has not experienced them before, this is a reason for examination. Secondly, after a TIA, performance and cognitive functions are significantly reduced. This affects the quality of work, especially if a woman holds a leadership position.

Consequences of an attack depending on its location

So, any attack occurs as an ischemic type of stroke. There are two types of TIA based on the location of the lesion:

• Vertebro-basilar basin;
• Carotid basin.

So, the first option occurs in 70% of cases. What symptoms accompany the event?

• Dizziness with occipital pain;
• Nystagmus;
• Diplopia (double vision);
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Loss of half the visual field (usually bilateral);
• Flashing “flies” before the eyes;
• Damage to the muscles of the face, pharynx, tongue, soft palate;
• Sudden fall without loss of consciousness;
• Short-term loss of memory and orientation.

TIA in the carotid region behaves like this:

• Loss of sensation in one or more limbs;
• There is no movement in one or more limbs;
• Speech is partially or completely lost;
• Vision disappears in one eye, paralysis of half the body develops on the other side.

Ischemic stroke

TIA lesions resolve within 10 minutes to 1 hour. If the symptoms do not go away within a day, a diagnosis of acute cerebrovascular accident is made. And this is a completely different disease. It has a high mortality rate and a long rehabilitation period.

How to treat ischemic stroke?

1. Correction of blood pressure at numbers above 200/110 mmHg. You cannot reduce the pressure at lower numbers, otherwise the blood supply to the brain will stop altogether. You should also not use medications that give a quick effect (nifidipine). Preference should be given to captopril, enalapril;
2. Fighting cerebral edema (mannitol);
3. Diazepam is administered to relieve seizures.

When treated in a hospital, the patient is given neuroprotective therapy. These are glycine, emoxypine, cytoflavin, cerebrolysin.

How to treat?

Treatment of a microstroke involves the patient staying in a hospital setting. There, a person will remain under the supervision of specialists 24 hours a day.

The treatment plan includes:

• Urgent therapeutic measures: Stabilization of a person’s vital functions;
• Treatment and preventive measures.

After completing the required course in a hospital, the patient is treated on an outpatient basis and also undergoes motor and psychological rehabilitation.

Differences between a microstroke and a stroke

A microstroke is a transient disturbance of blood circulation in the vessels of the brain. It occurs against the background of constantly elevated blood pressure, its sharp rise, or atherosclerosis, when cholesterol plaques are deposited on the inner walls of blood vessels.

Important! Regularly measure your blood pressure with a tonometer, if you don’t have a tonometer, be sure to buy one, it’s not expensive, but every family should have it, here you can always choose an inexpensive option. The mechanisms of development of TIA and stroke are the same, they are similar in manifestations and symptoms:

The mechanisms of development of TIA and stroke are the same, they are similar in manifestations and symptoms:

1. Bursting pain appears in the back of the head.
2. You can clearly feel the blood pulsating in your temples.
3. The sense of orientation disappears even in a familiar, familiar space.
4. Limbs become numb and swollen. Swelling begins in the toes and feet, then swells in the fingers and forearms.
5. Hyperhidrosis begins - increased sweat production throughout the body.
6. The heart rhythm is lost.
7. Both with a micro-stroke and with a large stroke, dizziness, fainting, and loss of consciousness are noted.
8. In both the first and second cases, a change in vision is noted: “spots” or colored spots or circles appear before the eyes. At the very beginning of attacks, objects may look unnatural
9. bright and clear, after a few minutes the colors fade, the surroundings are seen as if through a veil or fog.
10. Loud sounds and bright colors begin to irritate.
11. Paresis develops.
12. Dysphagia develops - a violation of the swallowing reflex.
13. Facial facial muscles are affected. And as a result, facial distortion occurs. A crooked, lopsided smile appears on the face, and the corners of the mouth droop.

Both during a stroke and during a transient ischemic attack, the whites of the eyes may turn red. In both cases, confusion and speech disturbances may occur, when it becomes slurred and difficult to understand.

With all this, the processes differ in clinical picture:

1. The symptoms of a microstroke are less pronounced.
2. All manifestations of TIA disappear in a short period of time, the maximum duration of an attack is 24 hours, but usually it lasts no more than a few minutes.
3. With a microstroke, a rapid heartbeat is observed, the skin of the face turns red; With a major stroke, the heart rate slows and the face turns pale. Facial pallor during a stroke is an alarming sign indicating a serious condition of the patient.
4. With a microstroke, paresis develops - partial loss of motor activity; with a stroke, complete paralysis of the upper or lower extremities is possible.
5. With a major stroke, large vessels supplying a given area of ​​the brain are blocked or ruptured and, as a result, necrosis of the affected area and death of its nerve cells occurs. With a microstroke, small vessels are affected - capillaries and arterioles, the recovery of which occurs faster.
6. In case of a microstroke, examination for the Babinski reflex will always give a negative result.
7. With TIA, there is no enuresis; with a stroke, urinary incontinence is one of the constant symptoms.
8. With a microstroke, gaze paresis does not develop, when friendly eye movement becomes impossible.
9. With a microstroke, the pupils are the same size. With a stroke, anisocoria develops when one pupil is enlarged and the second is reduced in size.

This is the danger of a micro-stroke - in most cases it is endured “on your feet”, once, twice, three times, until an acute vascular catastrophe occurs, a major stroke. In case of a stroke, doctors have negligible time left to save the patient - only four and a half hours.

Symptoms

The clinical picture of stroke in young people is somewhat different from the symptoms of an attack in older patients. Thus, the signs and symptoms of stroke in young women, as well as in men, are as follows:

• Headache. It can be initially sharp, and then long-lasting and exhausting.
• Nausea and vomiting. Patients often confuse this symptom with a sign of high blood pressure or pregnancy. If a stroke occurs at a party, then vomiting and nausea are perceived as a sign of alcohol intoxication.
• Hiccups. It appears more often in women.
• Loss of coordination of movements. It can be short-term, which is also interpreted as the result of intoxication.
• Decreased sensitivity of the limbs and muscle weakness.
• A state of confusion and forgetfulness. A young man or woman may forget where they are, where they were going, and why they even picked up this or that object.
• Mild confusion and possibly dizziness. In the worst case, the patient loses consciousness.
• Disorders of facial expressions. The patient cannot close his eyelids or smile.
• Speech disorders. The patient speaks indistinctly, which is additionally perceived as a result of intoxication if the attack occurs at a party.

Important: since men are obviously stronger than women, they can suffer a stroke on their legs, but with signs of chronic fatigue and constant irritation.