The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports that more than 700,000 people suffer a stroke each year in the United States. A stroke causes damage to the brain and the effects of a stroke depend on the extent of the brain damage and where in the brain the stroke has occurred. Most of these effects can improve over time and they go away completely. However, some stroke victims require rehabilitation.
Paralysis or Weakness
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a stroke often causes people to experience paralysis or weakness on the side of the body opposite the side of the brain damaged by the stroke. For example, a stroke that occurred in the right side of the brain can cause paralysis or weakness to the left side of the body. The paralysis or weakness may affect the face, an arm, a leg or the entire side of the body.
Sensory Deficits
Stroke victims may encounter sensory deficits, such as the inability to feel pain, temperature or touch, reports the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. A sensory deficit can result in fecal and urinary incontinence. The individual may lose the ability to sense the need to urinate or defecate, or they may lose the ability to control the muscles of the bladder or bowel.
Hearing and Speech
A stroke may cause problems with hearing and the ability to speak or understand speech. Problems with hearing or speech are associated with a stroke in the left side of the brain, which contains the speech and language center. Problems understanding speech are not related to hearing loss, but rather a problem processing the information. A stroke can affect the muscles used in talking, and it can cause slurred or distorted speech, called dysarthria.
Emotional Disturbances
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, brain damage that stroke victims incur can cause emotional disturbances and personality changes. Stroke survivors often feel a sense of grief for their physical and mental losses as well. Depression commonly occurs in stroke victims as a result to the mental, emotional and physical changes they experience.
