![]() ![]() Our working memory helps us remember to get milk at the store, for instance. Working memory is a skill that allows us to hang onto important information until we need it, sort of like a temporary sticky note in the brain. ![]() Why Memory Difficulties Occur After Stroke Can Memory Improve on Its Own After a Stroke?.Memory Exercises for Stroke Patients to Try at Home.Why Memory Difficulties Occur After Stroke.Use the links below to jump straight to any section: This article will teach you how to improve memory after stroke and suggest exercises to try. Fortunately, memory recovery is often possible by healing the brain through cognitive rehabilitation. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC "Today" show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.Poor memory after stroke is a cognitive effect that many survivors struggle with. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. More: Savvy Senior: My mom's on too many medications. Depending on the cause(s), her doctor may prescribe medication to reduce the tendency for blood to clot or may recommend surgery or a balloon procedure (angioplasty).įor more information on mini-strokes and how to recognize one, go to. Once the cause has been determined, the goal of treatment is to correct the abnormality and prevent a full-blown stroke. If the doctor suspects a TIA, he or she will run a series of tests to determine what caused it and assess her risk of a future stroke. If these warning signs sound like what happened to your mom, but they went away, she needs to go to the emergency room or nearby stroke center. T (Time): If you observe any of these signs of stroke, call 911. S (Speech): Ask the person to say a simple sentence. Does one side of the face droop?Ī (Arm): Ask the person to raise both arms. test to identify the symptoms.į (Face): Ask the person to smile. The easiest way to identify a stroke is to use the F.A.S.T. Sudden, severe headache with no known cause.Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.They include any one or combination of the following: The symptoms of a mini-stroke are the same as those of a full-blown stroke, but can be subtle and short-lived, and they don’t leave any permanent damage. Men also have a greater risk for stroke than women, and African Americans and Hispanics are at higher risk than those of other races. Other factors that boost the risks are age (over 60), smoking, heart disease, atrial fibrillation and having a family history of stroke. More: Savvy Senior: When is pill splitting safe, and when isn’t it? Who’s vulnerable?Ī person is more likely to suffer a TIA or stroke if they are overweight or inactive, have high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol or diabetes. That’s why mini-strokes need to be treated like emergencies. But anyone who has had a mini-stroke is much more likely to have a full-blown stroke, which can cause long-term paralysis, impaired memory, loss of speech or vision and even death.Ī mini-stroke is caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain and can be a warning sign that a major stroke may soon be coming. That’s because the symptoms are usually fleeting - lasting only a few minutes, up to an hour or two - causing most people to ignore them or brush them off as no big deal. DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: How can a person know if they’ve had a minor stroke? My 72-year-old mother had a spell a few weeks ago where she suddenly felt dizzy for no apparent reason and had trouble walking and speaking, but it went away, and she seems fine now.ĭEAR CONCERNED: The way you’re describing it, it’s very possible that your mom had a “mini-stroke” also known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA), and if she hasn’t already done so, she needs to see a doctor as soon as possible.Įach year, about 250,000 Americans have a mini-stroke, but less than half of them realize what’s happening.
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