Is a stroke worse on the left or right side?

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that either you or someone you know has experienced a stroke. While it’s never a pleasant experience, many people wonder if strokes are worse on one side of the brain than the other. In this article, we’ll explore whether left- or right-sided strokes are more dangerous and why.

What is a Stroke?

Before diving into which side of your noggin might be in for trouble during an invasion of rogue blood vessels, let’s take some time to define what exactly constitutes as “a stroke.” A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of your brain is blocked. As oxygen-rich blood fails to arrive at its intended destination (aka neurons), those little guys start dying off like flies with zero mercy spared.

Fun fact: Did you know that every minute counts during a potential stroke? For serious – cells in your brain can begin dying within just four minutes without proper blood flow. Scary stuff!

Types of Strokes

Now that we’ve got that sad little image painted for ya, let’s go over different types of strokes:

Ischemic Strokes

Accounting for 80% of all stroke cases worldwide, these bad boys happen when your artery supplying blood to your brain becomes cloggy-woggy due to fatty deposits called plaques/things like clots/junk/ickies breaking off from arterial walls (source needed). Long story short: no bueno.

Embolic Versus Thrombotic

An embolic ischemic…you know what? Nevermind…

All respect given towards academic terminology but… ain’t nobody got time for complicated phrasing when talking about something as terrifyingly serious as cerebrovascular accidents! Let’s take things down three notches lower and approach them in word-pictures laypeople can understand easily…

Basically – remember Tiny Tim, the adorable little character from A Christmas Carol? Picture him waddling around with a backpack filled to the brim with fetid cheddar cheese. Now imagine that’s traveling through your bloodstream until… Splat! It gets stuck in a little tube along its journey, rendering bloodflow impossible.. To say nothing of poor Tiny- let’s not think about it.

With thrombotic ischemia on the other hand, think of golden bannocks sizzling on an iron skillet. Yummers! Until you fall into temptation and go overboard slathering them with molten buttery goodness ,which creates too much sticky build-up inside ; blocking things up faster than Conor McGregor himself when he did some third party effects training.

Hemorrhagic Strokes

When someone experiences a hemorrhagic stroke i.e when there is bleeding happening within their brain instead…Well suffice to say sweating like Niagara Falls might be an understatement here because these can often result from numerous various causes; things as freaky asaneurysms, arteriovenous malformations or even weak/enlarged spots in very small vessels deep inside cerebral matter (source needed).

Left vs Right-Sided Stroke Symptoms

So now that we have got out types sorted after tackling all those big terms readers should take pride in feeling somewhat competent already right?

Let’s move onto explaining what symptoms one typically experiences depending on which part of their noodle was struck by misfortune :

What are left-sided strokes?

Left-side injuries present themselves via physical impairments which arise on your right externally (think grabbing keys or scratching left shoulder)and linger longer .

Not sure if anyone else does this aside from myself but anytime I confuse my “left” and “right,” I immediately hold both hands above my head forming L shapes between thumb & index finger – make sense right?

Some general symptoms include:

  • Loss/Impairment of Language (aphasia): Where speech becomes gibberish & auditory comprehension flies out the window.

  • Difficulty Moving right arm and/or leg : Waving farewell to your days as a champion high-fiver. (even stranger is that some may experience movement on this side rather than complete paralysis)

What are right-sided strokes?

Now, for those familiar with Newton’s Third Law of Motion might be able to predict these ones accurately but in simpler terms – things on the left exterior of a person can find themselves struggling more intensely after injury limited to the right-heamisphere

Some indicators possibly arising include:

  • Weakness or No Movement at All: For example while carrying something bright yellow from left hand/right-brain control the item keeps moving too much , signaling sudden absence motor function

  • Visual Disturbances/Balance Issues: This one hits like nobody’s business especially when you were actually pretty coordinated prior , now exiting an apartment room without tripping over air itself takes about 10minutes (‘Legit!’)

The Severity Factor

The severity and outcomes associated with each type not only differ based on which half of Jekyll Hyde got hit by it ; even among individuals themselves severity will vary immensely.

Left-sided Strokes

What often separates impact for sufferers who’ve experienced injuries affecting their “left” side ? It comes down primarily to impacts upon language.. If there has been damage inflicted onto any part responsible for linguistic prowess… well let’s just say communicating daily routine activities alone would become torture akin Mozart being made deaf overnight…and worse. In some cases long-term recovery could take up years; signifying mastery over communication skills might remain elusive indefinitely(source needed)

Fun fact: Despite its poignant ramifications, society tends to under-appreciate effect brain-scale impairments such commonalities as global aphasia(affects verbal/written forms) practically insult to injury when friends & strangers alike discount your presence because verbal communication proves too cumbersome… heartbreaking.

Right-sided Strokes

Right-side damaging injuries , other than impacts upon body movements, also play potentially severe effects on impeding survivor’s abilities to comprehend visual concepts nature can reveal. Things like a flower in bloom or even snazzy outfit could fail for example to be interpreted correctly (source needed). Significantly impacting quality of life regarding determining assorted forms of interactions with the world at large; all harsh reminders that sometimes rehabilitation is still just rehabilitation…

It’s Less About Location Than Severity

All this talk about which part of your brain got dealt the more punishing blow might have some readers panicking already but worry not! Recoveries and outcomes will inevitably depend more-so upon actual severity individual sustained rather than chance by location :).

If cures were cotton candy we could call it a win-win then .

Prevention is Better Than Cure

Nothing beats good preventive measures, people – regardless if you are healthy as an ox or if you secretly consume ultra-flavored cheese overly frequently. Some things one may do according to medical knowledge (hopefully through reliable sources) many self-health checklists would suggest:

  • Maintaining irrefutably ideal levels blood pressure
    this can help lessen risks associated with hemorrhagic strokes )

  • Using Blood Thinners: Anticoagulant medications such as warfarin, heparin along others designed specifically decrease potential blood clot formation. Hurray!

  • Exercise Regularly/Lead Active Lifestyle : Not going full-fledged-Iron-Man sweat sessions daily folks . What doctors intend here involves simple activities conducted everyday walking , riding bikes around park ; so long as exercise remains consistent… See? Zero dramatics required there 😉

Conclusion

Worried about whether left or right sides take worse hits during stroke? Honestly, don’t get caught up on – both result differently based upon circumstance severity, leaving it purely subjective..But remember that strokes in and of themselves are serious stuff requiring immediate medical attention if suspected. Don’t hesitate to seek out emergency responders – your mind will thank you!

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