Stroke Treatment Overview And The Benefits of Stem Cell Therapy For The Disease

The medical term for Stroke is "Cerebrovascular Accident" or CVA. It is also called as "Brain Attack" or "Cerebrovascular Insult." A person affected by stroke has a very poor blood flow to brain areas and brain cells, which causes cell death. The 2 main types of strokes are the "Ischemic Stroke" and the "Hemorrhagic Stroke". The transient ischemic attack is another kind of stroke, which is also called as the mini-stroke. Stem cell stroke treatment is the new treatment that is being researched upon, as it has great benefits for patients who have suffered from permanent mental and physical damages, because of stroke.

Symptoms of Stroke

The symptoms of stroke include the inability of the sufferer to feel or move any one side of the body, problems related to speaking and understanding, severe headache, loss of balance, loss of single side vision and a feeling that the whole world is spinning. Loss of bladder-control and pneumonia are some of the long-term complications that can be caused by stroke. Some other symptoms can also be permanent in nature.

Ischemic Stroke:

This is the most common kind of stroke. It occurs when the blood clots prevent and block the flow of blood to the brain. The main cause of formation of blood clots is narrowing of arteries and/or the arteries that have been blocked by fatty cholesterol depositions. These deposits of cholesterol are also termed as plaques. Aging can also cause narrowing of arteries. Other causes for narrowing of arteries includes a family history of diabetes, smoking, high blood-pressure, high alcohol intake and heart attack. Atrial fibrillation can also cause a heart attack.

Hemorrhagic Stroke:

Hypertension or high blood-pressure is the main causative agent behind the hemorrhagic stroke. The stroke is characterized by the bursting and bleeding of blood vessels that lie inside the brain. Hypertension weakens brain arteries and can cause clots and bleeding. Smoking, obesity, high alcohol intake and sedentary lifestyles are other causes of hemorrhage.

Transient Ischemic Attack:

The mini-stroke has a brief period of impact, and has all the stroke symptoms. It is caused by a temporary decrease of blood-supply to any area of the brain. TIA can be caused by even a 5-minute temporary decrease of blood supply.

Stroke Treatment Overview

Ischemic stroke treatment:

Patients who suffer from strokes are given the tPA or "Tissue Plasminogen Activator" through IV. The activator dissolves the clot and improves blood flow to the affected brain area. This treatment works only when the stroke is immediately identified, and the patient gets to the hospital within 3 to 5 hours.

Another treatment of ischemic stroke is an endovascular procedure that is known as "Mechanical Thrombectomy." The trained physicians and surgeons remove the brain blood clot by using a stent retriever. This treatment is used only after a patient has received the tPA treatment and within 6 hours of being affected by stroke.

Hemorrhagic stroke treatment:

The hemorrhagic stroke treatment also uses the endovascular procedures. A stent or catheter may be used for the treatment process that is less invasive than surgery. Some strokes that occur because of bleeding within the brain or by AVM or abnormally tangling blood vessels are treated by surgery.

Stem cell stroke treatment:

Sometimes, a stroke is not treated immediately and may cause permanent damage to the brain. Treatment procedures like surgery, medicines and rehabilitation cannot bring in relief to the patients in these cases.

Stem cell stroke treatmentoffers a number of benefits for patients who suffer from stroke and have suffered some permanent brain damage.

1. Stem cells have unique growth, multiplication, and differentiation properties, and can also grow into specialized cells that can perform specific functions (for instance neural functions).
2. MSCs or Mesenchymal Stem Cells are used for stroke therapy. These stem cells can grow and proliferate to form the express markers of the neuronal progenitor cells.
3. The stem cells can grow and provide the same functionality benefits that the neuronal progenitor brain cells offer.
4. The stem cells obtained from the bone marrow can also provide cytokines (proteins). The cytokines that provide for better oxygen supply and blood flow to the damaged brain cells and areas.
5. Neuroregeneration and Neuroprotection.

Patients who get stem cell treatment and therapy at leading health-care institutions like Neurogen Brain & Spine Institute (located in Mumbai) get benefits like better balance and posture, greater and improved mental functions, better upper and lower limb activities and ambulance related benefits among other benefits. The "quality of life" of the patients improves, and they can live their life much like normal people after they receive stem cell therapy.

The author is an expert in the field of stem cell research & therapy. The writer has a flair for writing and she keeps on writing various articles and blogs related to industry.