More than 56,000 strokes will be experienced by Australians this year alone – that is one stroke every nine minutes. One in four people globally will have a stroke in their lifetime. But did you know that more than 80 percent of strokes can be prevented…
Here’s what you can do:
Prevention is better than a cure and there are many ways you can prevent stroke through healthy lifestyle choices (see below) and having routine health checks with your GP.
stay active
eat well
quit smoking
drinking alcohol in moderation only
making time to see your GP to get your blood pressure, heart, glucose and cholesterol levels checked
Read up on the ways to prevent stroke HERE.
When a stroke does strike, it attacks up to 1.9 million brain cells per minute. The best way you can help make a difference is to know the signs and symptoms of Stroke, and act swiftly. The F.A.S.T test is the easiest way for you to recognise and remember the signs:
FACE - Check their face. Has their mouth drooped?
ARMS - Can they lift both arms?
SPEECH - Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
TIME - Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call 000 straight away.
Osteopathy - could it assist in stroke recovery?:
Whilst there are no studies to support the use of Osteopathy in stroke recovery, it follows that supporting the central nervous system to rest and integrate may be helpful. In the Osteopathic arena, Biodynamic Osteopathy is a wonderful approach to achieve this.
To use a computer analogy, if the CNS (central nervous system) is our computer ‘motherboard’, then treatment which assists it coming to rest; allows it to reconfigure (remember its original form), de-fragment (close some programs running in the background that are slowing the system), and reboot in a more synchronised and normal way; can only ever be helpful.
To first support the nervous system itself to heal and correct is a great step when one goes to physically retrain the body, which requires the CNS to drive and co ordinate function.
Our bodies have amazing healing capacities if provided rest and support, Health is natural. Although I’ve not personally treated people with stroke injuries, I certainly see a role I could play and would always offer this support.
Working with Biodynamic Osteopathy over the years I have received feedback anecdotally for positive changes and some symptom relief in many nervous system afflictions.
I’ve listed a few below, to illustrate the potential benefits of Osteopathic treatment in re-balancing the nervous system.
Disc injury/sciatic pain
Bell’s palsy
Concussion
Shock associated with trauma
Post viral encephalitis
Parkinson’s disease
Tremors related to MS
Childhood eye tracking issues
Anxiety/depression
To read further information about Stroke and what you can do to assist or donate visit the Stroke Foundation website HERE.
-Stats sourced from the Stroke Foundation.