A stroke, or brain attack, happens when an artery carrying blood to part of the brain breaks or becomes clogged. When this happens, the part of the brain that needed the artery for nourishment can die. Sometimes brain cells that are near the injured cells also begin to swell and stop working. Strokes affect people in different ways, depending on the kind of stroke and the part of the brain involved. Weakness on one side of the face or body is common. A stroke can also damage the senses. It can alter the ability to speak and understand speech. It can affect behavior, thoughts and memory.

The most common effect of a stroke is weakness or paralysis of a part of the body. This can be a permanent weakness or it can improve with time. Weakness from a stroke can affect big muscles, like those in the legs or arms, or smaller ones like those in the face or throat.

Since a stroke can affect muscles in the throat, it can interfere with talking. Because their speech can be slowed or altered, stroke patients can be hard to understand. This problem can be helped with a speech therapist. Stroke patients can also have troubles with swallowing food.

Even if their muscles work properly, stroke patients can have trouble walking because they have trouble seeing or moving normally. They may not be able to see objects out of the corner of their eye or they may not be able to move as easily as they used to.

After a stroke has occurred, it is important to begin to work with the part of the brain that has not been injured. This is called rehabilitation therapy. During rehabilitation, patients learn how to use other muscles or other parts of their brain to help make up for the injury caused by the stroke. Although a stroke can be a frightening experience, many people are surprised with the amount of improvement that happens during a rehabilitation program.

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