Editors Note: May is National Stroke Awareness Month.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and a major cause of serious disability for adults. More than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stroke risk increases with age, especially after 55, but strokes can occur at any age.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Brain cells begin to die in minutes.

A stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is crucial. Early action can reduce brain damage and other complications. If you or someone you know is experiencing a stroke, you should call 911 and seek emergency medical care right away.

A stroke can cause temporary or permanent disabilities, depending on how long the brain lacks blood flow and which part was affected. Complications can include paralysis or loss of muscle movement, difficulty talking or swallowing, memory loss or thinking difficulties, emotional problems, pain, and changes in behavior and self-care ability.

Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of recovery after stroke. There are many approaches to stroke rehabilitation. Your rehabilitation plan will depend on the part of the body or type of ability affected by your stroke.

The goal of stroke rehabilitation is to help you relearn skills you lost when a stroke affected part of your brain. Stroke rehabilitation can help you regain independence and improve your quality of life.

The severity of stroke complications and each person's ability to recover vary widely. Researchers have found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don't have stroke rehabilitation.

The duration of your stroke rehabilitation depends on the severity of your stroke and related complications. Some stroke survivors recover quickly. But most need some form of long-term stroke rehabilitation, lasting possibly months or years after their stroke.

Stroke recovery varies from person to person. The rate of recovery is generally greatest in the weeks and months after a stroke. However, there is evidence that performance can improve even 12 to 18 months after a stroke.

Learn more about strokes from Dr. Robert Brown Jr., a Mayo Clinic neurologist.

Connect with others talking about stroke and recovery in the Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, an online patient community moderated by Mayo Clinic.

The post Recovering from a stroke appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On average, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted, depriving the brain of oxygen. It's important to recognize the warning signs of stroke, because prompt treatment can minimize brain damage. Every moment is crucial.

"Strokes commonly occur in people of all ages," says Dr. Robert Brown, Jr., chair of Mayo Clinic's Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases. "And, so, it's very important that people know what is a stroke, what are the symptoms and what are the risk factors for stroke?" 

May is National stroke Awareness Month. In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Brown explains the importance of remembering the F.A.S.T. acronym to recognize a stroke: face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, time to call 911.

Watch: Dr. Brown discuss stroke awareness

Read the full transcript.

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On average, someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every 4 minutes someone dies from one, according to the National Institutes of Health. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and causes more long-term disabilities than any other disease. The older you are, the more likely you are to have a stroke, as the risk of having a stroke more than doubles each decade after age 55. 

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. It's important to recognize the warning signs of stroke because prompt treatment is crucial to minimize brain damage and potential complications. To recognize the signs of stroke, remember the acronym FAST: face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, and time to call 911.

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Robert D. Brown Jr., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and stroke expert, will discuss stroke and stroke prevention. Also on the program, Dr. Paul McKie, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, will explain when and why you might need a cardiac stress test. And Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist and co-chair of Mayo Clinic’s Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, will have tips for being a good mental health consumer.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post May is National Stroke Awareness Month appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. It's important to recognize the warning signs of stroke because prompt treatment is crucial to minimize brain damage and potential complications. To recognize the signs of stroke, remember the acronym FAST: face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech, and time to call 911.

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Robert D. Brown Jr., a Mayo Clinic neurologist and stroke expert, will discuss stroke and stroke prevention. Also on the program, Dr. Paul McKie, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, will explain when and why you might need a cardiac stress test. And Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist and co-chair of Mayo Clinic’s Division of Integrated Behavioral Health, will have tips for being a good mental health consumer.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Stroke awareness / cardiac stress test / mental health consumers appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

May is American Stroke Month.  On the Mayo Clinic Radio podcast, Dr. Robert D. Brown Jr., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, discusses the warning signs of stroke and tips for prevention. Also on the podcast, Dr. Jeannie Sperry, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, explains how the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center can help those suffering with chronic pain. And Dr. Karen L. Andrews, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, discusses the challenges faced by amputees and how rehabilitation can help with the physical, emotional and social challenges they face.

The post #MayoClinicRadio podcast: 5/5/18 appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Robert D. Brown Jr., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the warning signs of stroke and tips for prevention. Also on the program, Dr. Jeannie Sperry, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain how the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center can help those suffering with chronic pain. And Dr. Karen L. Andrews, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, will discuss the challenges faced by amputees and how rehabilitation can help with the physical, emotional and social challenges they face.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: May is American Stroke Month appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Use the hashtag #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows or subscribe to the podcast.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Stroke month / Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center / amputee rehabilitation appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: The overall effectiveness of speech therapy for people who have communication difficulties after a stroke largely depends on the area of the brain the stroke affected and the severity of the brain damage. Generally, speech therapy can help those whose speech is affected by a stroke.

The most common type of stroke is an ischemic stroke, in which the blood supply to part of the brain is reduced significantly or cut off. As a result, brain tissue can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Within minutes, brain cells start to die. The brain damage caused by a stroke can lead to a variety of disabilities, including problems with speech and language.

The medical term to describe some of the communication problems that happen due to a stroke is "aphasia." There are several kinds of aphasia. The one you describe in your mother’s situation sounds like nonfluent, or Broca’s, aphasia. It occurs when a stroke damages the language network in the left frontal area of the brain. People with nonfluent aphasia typically can understand what others say, but they have trouble forming complete sentences and putting together the words they want to use.

Nonfluent aphasia, which can be a significant barrier to clear communication, often leads to frustration. Working with a speech-language pathologist can help. The goal of speech and language therapy for aphasia is to improve communication by restoring as much language as possible, teaching how to compensate for lost language skills, and learning other methods of communicating

Speech-language pathologists (sometimes called speech therapists) use a variety of techniques to improve communication. After initial evaluation by a speech-language pathologist, rehabilitation may include working one on one with a speech-language pathologist and participating in groups with others who have aphasia. The group setting can be particularly helpful, because it offers a low-stress environment where people can practice communication skills, such as starting a conversation, speaking in turn and clarifying misunderstandings.

A speech-language pathologist also can direct your mother to resources she can use outside of speech-language therapy sessions, such as computer programs and mobile apps that aid in relearning words and sounds. Props and communication aids, such as pictures, notecards with common phrases, and a small pad of paper and pen, often are encouraged as part of speech-language rehabilitation and can improve a person’s ability to convey his or her thoughts.

You, other family members, and friends also can help your mother rebuild her communication abilities. Consistently include her in conversations. Give her plenty of time to talk. Don’t finish her sentences for her or correct errors. Keep distractions to a minimum by turning off the TV and other electronic devices while you talk. Allow time for relaxed conversation.

Recovering language skills can be a slow process. With patience and persistence, however, most people can make significant progress, even if they don’t completely return to the level of function they had before a stroke. It is important to seek treatment for aphasia, because, if left untreated, communication barriers can lead to embarrassment, relationship problems and, in some cases, depression.

Encourage your mother to make an appointment with her health care provider to discuss speech-language therapy and help her find a speech-language pathologist who has experience working with people who have had a stroke. — Dr. Robert D. Brown, Jr., Neurology, and Dr. Heather Clark, Speech Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota

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On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Robert Brown Jr., a neurologist and stroke expert, will discuss the warning signs of stroke and tips for stroke prevention. Also on the program, Dr. Timothy Curry, director of the Education Program for the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, will explain Mayo Clinic's efforts to educate patients and providers on how genetic information can improve health care. And Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a cardiologist, will discuss a new study that found gray hair can indicate cardiac risk.

Listen to the program on Saturday, May 13, at 9:05 a.m. CDT, and follow #MayoClinicRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Access archived shows.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Stroke Awareness Month appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, neurologist and stroke expert Dr. Robert Brown Jr. discusses the warning signs of stroke and tips for stroke prevention. Also on the program, Dr. Timothy Curry, director of the Education Program for the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine, will explain Mayo Clinic's efforts to educate patients and providers on how genetic information can improve health care. And cardiologist Dr. Stephen Kopecky will discuss a new study that found gray hair can indicate cardiac risk.

Listen to the program on Saturday, May 13, at 9:05 a.m. CDT.

Miss the show?  Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Stroke awareness / genomics education / gray hair and cardiac risk appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.