A stroke happens when part of the brain loses its blood supply because an artery is blocked by a clot (ischaemic stroke, about 85 percent) or bursts (haemorrhagic stroke). Brain cells begin to die within minutes. A transient ischaemic attack, or TIA, causes the same symptoms but clears fully, and is a warning of a stroke to come.
Emergency treatment is measured in minutes and can only happen at the nearest stroke-ready hospital. What follows is a long phase of rehabilitation and prevention. Most recovery occurs in the first 3 to 6 months, yet gains in function, speech and confidence can continue for years with targeted therapy.
Symptoms
- Face drooping on one side
- Arm or leg weakness or numbness, typically on one side
- Slurred speech, difficulty finding words or understanding
- Sudden loss of vision in one eye or to one side
- Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or double vision
- Sudden, severe headache unlike any before
- Confusion or reduced consciousness
Causes and risk factors
Ischaemic strokes come from atherosclerosis in the neck or brain arteries, clots formed in the heart, most often because of atrial fibrillation, and disease of the small deep vessels linked to high blood pressure and diabetes. In younger adults, a tear in a neck artery, a hole in the heart (PFO) or clotting disorders are considered. Haemorrhagic strokes result from long-standing high blood pressure, amyloid angiopathy in older people, aneurysms, vascular malformations and anticoagulant treatment. The risk factors that can be changed are blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, cholesterol, inactivity, obesity and heavy alcohol use.
How it is diagnosed
- Emergency CT or MRI: Separates clot from bleed, which decides all further treatment.
- CT or MR angiography: Finds a large vessel blockage suitable for thrombectomy and assesses the neck arteries.
- Heart rhythm monitoring: ECG and prolonged Holter or implantable monitors look for atrial fibrillation.
- Echocardiography: Looks for clots, valve disease and PFO.
- Blood tests: Glucose, lipids, clotting and, in the young, tests for rarer causes.
- Swallow, cognitive and functional assessment: Sets the rehabilitation plan.
Treatment options
- Intravenous thrombolysis: Clot-dissolving drug within about 4.5 hours of onset in eligible patients.
- Mechanical thrombectomy: Catheter removal of a large clot, usually within 6 hours and up to 24 hours in selected cases.
- Stroke unit care: Monitoring, swallow screening and early mobilisation; proven to reduce death and disability.
- Secondary prevention: Antiplatelets or anticoagulants, a statin, blood pressure control, carotid surgery or stenting for a tight symptomatic narrowing, and PFO closure in selected younger patients.
- Physiotherapy and occupational therapy: Intensive, repetitive, task-specific practice for walking, arm use and daily activities.
- Speech and swallowing therapy: For aphasia, slurred speech and unsafe swallowing.
- Spasticity and pain management: Botulinum toxin injections, splinting and medicines.
- Psychological support: Depression affects about a third of survivors and is treatable.
When it is urgent
Use the FAST check: Face, Arm, Speech, Time to call emergency services. Do not wait to see if symptoms pass, do not drive yourself, and do not take aspirin before a scan. Note the time symptoms started. A TIA that has resolved still needs assessment within 24 hours. None of this can involve travel abroad.
Travelling to Türkiye for treatment
Acute stroke care must be local. What a visit can offer, once you are medically stable, is an intensive inpatient or day rehabilitation block of 3 to 8 weeks with daily physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, robotic gait or arm training and spasticity injections, or a second opinion on the cause and on prevention. Ask your own doctor when flying is safe, often after at least 2 weeks and later after a bleed. Travel with a companion and bring scans and discharge letters. Be cautious of stem cell offers; they remain experimental for stroke.
Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.
الأسئلة المتكررة
Is recovery still possible after a year?
Yes, though slower. Task-specific, high-repetition therapy can improve function long after the first months.
How much therapy is enough?
Guidelines suggest at least 3 hours a day, 5 days a week in early rehabilitation where tolerated. Many people receive far less.
Will I have another stroke?
The risk is highest in the first weeks and falls greatly with blood pressure control, the right blood thinner, a statin and stopping smoking.
Do robots and brain stimulation work?
Robotic devices add repetitions and can help; evidence for brain stimulation is mixed. Neither replaces skilled therapists.