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After suffering a stroke, it is likely that you might experience some physical or mental complications. This might depend on the severity of the stroke and various other factors. You may be struggling with either major or minor difficulties that may be temporary, or in some cases permanent. Each stroke is very unique to the individual, and recovery can depend on a lot of different factors, including the location and size of the stroke, the reason behind the stoke, and the age and overall health condition of the patient. Some common complications that you may have to deal with if you have suffered a stroke include:
Trouble Swallowing
It is not uncommon for people to experience trouble swallowing or dysphagia after experiencing a stroke. This is often due to involuntary muscle tightening in the esophagus or may sometimes be because of partial paralysis in the face or mouth muscles, which can make it difficult to chew and swallow foods. Simply Thick packets can be a helpful product to use after suffering a stroke to make liquids thicker and easier to swallow, or to add to certain food types.
Chronic Headaches
This complication is often more common among people who have suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, since the brain may be irritated by blood from the hemorrhage. Unlike regular headaches, headaches caused by a stroke may require more medical attention and your doctor is likely to refer to you a specialist clinic. Avoid using over the counter painkiller medications without first consulting with your doctor.
Mental Health Complications
Depression is a common mental health condition that you may experience after a stroke. After experiencing a stroke, it is not uncommon for some patients to experience symptoms such as difficulties sleeping, lapses in memory, and struggling to get back into enjoying life and various activities that you’d normally be interested in. It is common for patients to experience feelings of sadness, a lack of energy, and feeling worthless, apathetic, or irritable. The good news is that depression is a very treatable condition with medication, therapy, or a combination of both.
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Blood Clots
There is always the risk of a blood clot developing in anybody who has been in the hospital or has been otherwise immobile for a long time. There may be a greater risk of a blood clot depending on the cause behind the stroke. Clotting is not just something to look out for when a patient is in the hospital but also later when they are doing better and have become mobile. Some symptoms of blood clotting to look out for include swelling in the arms or legs, which may be accompanied by warm skin, redness, and pain. Any symptoms of blood clots should be given immediate attention as there is a risk that they will move through the blood stream where they can become life-threatening.
Suffering a stroke can lead to various complications that may go away over time or be something to manage permanently. With the right support, stroke complications can be managed well.
