Stroke, also known as "apoplexy", is one of the complications of hypertension. It is often caused by reasons such as excessive worry and anger, irregular eating habits, indulgence in alcohol and unrestrained desires, leading to imbalance of yin and yang, organ dysfunction, and disordered qi and blood circulation. Clinical manifestations are mainly characterized by sudden fainting, facial paralysis, hemiplegia, while some patients remain conscious all the time. This disease mostly occurs in people over middle age, especially in the elderly.
Cerebrovascular accident (stroke) includes two major categories: hemorrhagic and ischemic. After treatment, patients often have sequelae such as hemiplegia, speech disorders, and facial paralysis. These are mainly due to wind-phlegm obstructing the meridians and stagnation of qi and blood circulation. Using traditional Chinese medicine combined with acupuncture and massage for regulation and treatment often yields good results.
During the acute phase of a stroke, severe patients often have five disabilities: they cannot turn over, cough up phlegm, speak, eat, or take care of their bowel and bladder functions, so close observation, meticulous care, and active treatment are needed to reduce and alleviate sequelae. During the acute phase of a stroke, bedsores are most likely to occur. To prevent bedsores, frequent turning over is necessary. For comatose patients, it is essential to ensure that the skin, clothes, and bedding are indeed dry and flat. When the skin of the pressured part turns red, the palm should be used to rub or apply safflower oil externally to improve local blood circulation.
For patients in the recovery phase and sequela phase of a stroke, they should be encouraged and guided to perform functional exercises. When the paralyzed limbs cannot move voluntarily, passive movements should be assisted for the patient along with limb massage. Simultaneously, flexion and extension, rotation, adduction, and abduction activities of large and small joints should be performed to promote qi and blood circulation and increase muscle strength. When the paralyzed limb recovers to the point where it can be lifted, the patient should be encouraged to perform voluntary movements. To help patients exercise their muscle strength, a rope can be tied at the foot of the bed for the patient to pull themselves up. Other functional training exercises include: stepping on pedals to exercise calf muscles; clenching wooden sticks or kneading walnuts with hands to exercise grip strength and finger joint movement; when the patient can stand up, they should practice walking as soon as possible. At the same time, attention should be paid to the patient's walking posture, skills, endurance, and speed, with safety being the top priority. Moreover, for stroke patients who cannot speak, they should be patiently helped to practice pronunciation to gradually restore language function.
Considering the high incidence, mortality, and disability rates of strokes, actively strengthening prevention of this disease is very important. First, it is important to observe prodromal symptoms. Before the onset of the disease, patients often have prodromal symptoms such as dizziness and numbness on one side of the body. If symptoms such as dizziness and convulsions appear, it indicates an excess of liver yang and impending liver wind, which should be treated with herbs like Uncaria, chrysanthemum, white thorn, oyster shell, and white peony root to calm the liver and subdue wind. If there are symptoms such as limb numbness and heaviness, it indicates obstruction of pulse network qi and blood, which should be treated with herbs like Salvia miltiorrhiza, red peony root, and Spatholobus stem to activate blood and unblock the network vessels.
Preventing strokes should start from daily life, maintaining a pleasant and stable mood, avoiding excessive consumption of rich and greasy food, conducting dietary control for hypertension, not smoking, and avoiding excessive drinking. In addition, attention should be paid to weather changes, and clothing should be adjusted accordingly. Life should be regular, balancing work and rest appropriately. More importantly, appropriate exercise should be insisted on to keep the internal energy harmonious, blood circulation smooth, and joints flexible, preventing the occurrence of this disease.
Recommended Articles:
Hypertensive Patients Should Beware of Cerebrovascular Accident
Dietary Strategy for Hypertension - Food Therapy Section
Hypertensive Patients Drinking Chicken Soup Regularly Can Lower Blood Pressure
Nutritional Therapy for Hypertension
Food Therapy Instead of Drug Therapy - Stable Blood Pressure Reduction