October 29 - World Stroke Awareness Day

The purpose of celebrating Paralysis Awareness Day on October 29 every year all over the world including Pakistan is to create awareness among the people about the prevention of this disease.

The main cause of stroke is blood pressure due to lack or excess of which the blood supply to the brain is either suspended or bleeding starts due to rupture of cerebral artery, blockage or rupture of blood vessels and that is called paralysis.

When a stroke strikes, the cells in the affected parts of the brain begin to die due to a blockage of oxygen and blood supply, resulting in paralysis of the whole, half or part of the body. In severe cases, paralysis occurs immediately. It can even cause death. According to conservative estimates, people with disabilities have the highest number of strokes worldwide. Every year, 18 million people worldwide suffer from stroke, so one person in every 10 seconds worldwide suffers from this disease, while one out of every 10 patients does not survive.

About 70% of paralyzed people are from developing countries, where 20 to 40% of patients die within 3 months of contracting the disease. According to experts, if the disease is not controlled, the number of people suffering from this disease could reach 30 million by the year 2030. The situation regarding this disease is painful in Pakistan where one thousand people are suffering from paralysis every day. In our country, one out of every six men is at risk of stroke, while in the case of women, the situation is more serious that one out of every five women is at risk of having a stroke.

In our country, 20 to 25% of the people between the ages of 15 and 45 are suffering from stroke, a higher rate than other countries in the world. In Europe and the United States, the proportion has dropped to 10% due to security measures.

Unfortunately one-third of people over the age of 45 suffer from high blood pressure while it is even more tragic that half of them are unaware that they are the target of this silent killer.

The rapidly growing number of diabetic patients in Pakistan are also causing paralysis. Paralysis is a contagious disease that kills hundreds of people every day in Pakistan. While paralysis is not a disease that is impossible to avoid, if the necessary precautions are taken, the disease can be controlled and the mental, physical and financial distress caused by it can be avoided.

Ignorance and negligence in the treatment of people suffering from this disease is also causing deaths. However, public awareness and prevention of this disease is very important for prevention. The deadly effects of smoking are evident to all of us, but it is not even considered a necessary reduction to avoid it.

Hepatitis B and C, in addition to the misuse of betel, gutka and glass, are also the cause of increase in the rate of stroke. Ignoring pain, insomnia, dizziness, congenital brain defects and even neurological disorders such as cerebral tuberculosis is tantamount to inviting paralysis. Due to social, economic, societal, political and financial problems, people are more likely to suffer from severe depression and become paralyzed. People with depression have a 45% increased risk of stroke and a 55% higher risk of death.

However, it is a tragedy that 90% of paralyzed patients do not go to the hospital for treatment and neglect the appropriate treatment and try to follow other methods, including the use of wild pigeon blood. However, when speech is affected due to cerebral palsy, incorrect pronunciation of words is considered to be the effect of ghosts.

Neurologists say that with timely treatment, the deadly effects of stroke can be prevented.

Constant use of the prescribed drugs is essential to avoid the dangers of stroke. Even with minimal use of salt, stroke can be prevented, while avoiding poisonous smoking can increase the enjoyment of life.

In addition, it is beneficial to exercise regularly for 30 minutes daily. When blood pressure is kept in moderation, the chances of stroke are reduced by 25%. In addition, diabetes and cholesterol must be controlled. Eating fruits and vegetables instead of poultry reduces the risk of stroke by 52%. Proper use of apples, pears, bananas, cabbage, cucumbers, garlic and onions etc are also beneficial in this regard. Symptoms of a stroke include loss of tongue and speech impairment, paralysis of the hands and feet, and loss of vision.

People with heart disease should take special precautions to avoid diseases such as stroke. By reducing depression, stroke can be prevented.