According to The Stroke Foundation, the F.A.S.T test is a simple way to understand signs and symptoms of a stroke.

Face: Is their face/mouth drooped?

Arms: Can their arms be raised?

Speech: Are they confused, or do they have slurred speech? Can they understand you?

Time: If you notice these signs, call 000 immediately as time is critical.

Risk Factors

• High blood pressure – this is a major risk factor for haemorrhagic strokes, as high blood pressure can harm the walls of blood vessels, leading to clots and blockages.
• Type 2 diabetes – like high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes can cause clots in blood vessels as well as fatty deposits.
• Irregular heartbeat/pulse – this can result in slow and inactive blood flow to the heart which inherently can trigger a clot that reaches the brain.
• High cholesterol – this can also cause a clot through the build-up of plaque in the arteries which as a result narrows the artery.
• Poor diet, physical inactivity and obesity – your diet and the amount of physical activity you undertake can have a major effect on the risk factors previously listed. These can affect your cholesterol, heart, blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
• Smoking – smoking can increase the risk of blood clotting, as well as damage blood vessel walls, making your risk of stroke increase by double.

Recovery

Understanding stroke is essential, as recovery can look different for each individual. In rehabilitation, you will undertake a variety of different activities and therapy to help you through recovery. These will help you to re-learn or find alternative ways to do certain tasks or everyday activities that were affected from the stroke. For example, rehabilitation will have a distinct focus on Activities of Daily Living, such as preparing food, getting ready, and bathing.  

Some activities that can help and assist in recovery include:

• Motor-skill exercises – can help to better muscle strength and coordination.
• Mobility training – this may involve using a variety of devices and aids to assist in re-learning to walk. For example, a cane, wheelchair or walker.
• Constraint-induced therapy – if you have a limb that has not been affected by the stroke, this form of therapy restrains this limb so you can practice using your affected limb and improve its function.
• Range-of-motion therapy – a variety of exercises that help to relieve muscle tension which can assist in recovering range of motion.
• Cognitive symptoms therapy – to improve cognitive abilities that may have declined due to stroke, such as memory, social skills, judgement and awareness, OT and speech therapy can be beneficial.
• Therapy to aid communication – speech therapy can be particularly helpful in regaining communication skills such speaking and writing.
• Psychological support and/or treatment – extra support may be beneficial to have during recovery, due to the toll rehabilitation can take. Engaging in counselling or a support group could be valuable during this time.

Throughout your rehabilitation, you may be supported by a variety of health professionals including nurses, OTs, neurologists, and speech pathologists.