Interruption of blood flow to the brain decreases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients, causing a stroke to occur. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports strokes are the third-leading cause of death. Nearly 137,000 strokes occur each year in the United States, according to the CDC. Stroke victims require immediate medical treatment to avoid severe, life-altering complications. According to the American Heart Association, side effects of a stroke vary depending on severity, location in the brain and type of stroke. The association adds that side effects may decrease over time, and in some patients, they disappear. However, side effects that remain after six months often are permanent, the Merck Manuals say.
Physical and Sensory Side Effects
Immobility and loss of sensation, particularly on one side of the body, frequently occurs in stroke victims. Muscles often involuntarily contract, causing stiffness and tightness during mobility. Pain, numbness and tingling are additional side effects. A stroke often affects a person's vision. A stroke victim may be unable to sense how close or far away objects are. The American Heart Association points out that vision loss causes a variety of accidents, including spilling food, bumping into furniture and falling. According to the American Stroke Association, 40 percent of victims have falls with serious side effects within a year of the stroke.
Communication and Swallowing
A stroke affects communication methods. The stroke victim may not understand speech or has difficulty translating his thoughts into words. Most people suffering from left-sided brain strokes--the location of the body's speech and language hub--show signs of communication difficulties. The weak muscles of a stroke victim, including those associated with the tongue, lips and mouth, make speech difficult. The American Heart Association says that slurred, slowed or distorted speech is common in stroke victims. The association recommends that stroke patients work with a speech therapist to overcome communication difficulties.
Sound and noise levels commonly overwhelm a stroke victim because of auditory overload and the brain's inability to translate sound into meaning. Poor nutrition, pneumonia and increased disabilities stem from swallowing difficulties, also known as dysphagia. Swallowing difficulties are present in 65 percent of stroke patients, the American Stroke Association says.
Emotions and Behavior
A stroke victim may display emotions differently by having abrupt and unpredictable outbursts or mood swings, the American Heart Association says. The medical term emotional lability refers to this condition, which may include crying, laughing or becoming angry. Stroke victims commonly suffer from depression upon realizing that the stroke related physical disabilities are permanent. A stroke victim's family and friends often confuse depression with apathy, according to the American Stroke Association. Caregivers and family members should encourage stroke victims to stay active by giving them different options of activities.
