A stoke is a medical condition caused by the interruption of blood flow to the brain, which causes brain cell death. Immediate side effects of a stroke include headache, dizziness and difficulty with speech or motor coordination. The aftereffects of this condition can be severely debilitating and depend upon the extent of cell death that occurs within the brain during a stroke.
Paralysis
The types of aftereffects experienced by a stroke patient typically depend upon the region of the brain where cell death occurs. Damage to the right hemisphere or left hemisphere of the brain can cause partial paralysis of the left or right side of the body, respectively. Partial paralysis is called hemiplegia and can severely interfere with a patient's ability to walk and provide self-care. Certain patients can alternatively develop hemiparesis--a condition that causes pronounced weakness within one side of the body but doesn't cause loss of movement within the affected body regions. A stroke patient may become unaware of the debilitated side of the body, a condition called neglect syndrome. A stroke that occurs within the brain stem can cause complete and permanent paralysis, which causes the patient to be unable to voluntarily move any portion of the body.
Decreased Coordination
Death of brain cells due to stroke can interfere with a patient's motor coordination. Such damage, explains the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, can make it difficult for a stroke patient to care for herself, causing activities as showering, dressing or eating to become increasingly problematic. A stroke patient can also appear unstable when standing or have difficulty maintaining balance as usual. A stroke can also cause swallowing to become a challenge for some patients, which may make these patients more susceptible to choking.
Speech Problems
Cell damage within the left hemisphere of the brain can cause significant speech and language aftereffects to develop in some stroke patients. A stroke can cause a patient to begin to slur words or develop difficulty understanding his native language. A patient may struggle to recall certain words or may be unable to identify specific objects by name. Severe damage may cause a stroke patient to be completely unable to talk or communicate coherently.
Short-Term Memory Loss
A stroke can cause short-term memory loss to occur in some patients. It can be difficult for stroke patients to recall recently learned information, which can cause additional effects of confusion, frustration or irritability.
Mood Alterations
After experiencing a stroke, a patient may exhibit significant alterations in mood or behavior. Sudden impulsiveness or depression can develop in patients following a stroke and may require additional treatment from a doctor.
Coma
A severe stroke that causes significant brain cell damage can lead to a coma. In certain stroke patients, extensive and severe brain cell death--especially within the brain stem--can be fatal.
