Like many medical issues, strokes are often thought of as only affecting older people. However, it’s important to understand that strokes can affect someone at any age from infancy through adolescence and beyond and the ultimate goal should be to focus on prevention.

So, what should you proactively do to prevent a stroke from happening to you? And what happens if you do happen to experience one?

Preventing a Stroke in Younger People

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

If you visit the doctor, or even read online, you probably have already heard this statement time and time again. But, as with most health conditions, the basis of prevention comes in developing a healthy lifestyle. Focus on exercising regularly, even if it’s merely taking a long walk each day, and eating a diet low in saturated fat and high in fruits and vegetables. In addition to helping you feel better, a healthy diet can control blood pressure and cholesterol starting at an early age.

Visit the Doctor

Being young and going to the doctor are two things that don’t often go together. Either a young adult can’t remember when to schedule an appointment, doesn’t have time to do it, or just flat out doesn’t want to go. Regardless, it’s something that has to be done. Having a regular checkup, even if it’s your annual physical, will help you recognize areas of improvement in your lifestyle. Then you can work with your doctor on preventative measures that could save you a lifetime of recovery.

Don’t Smoke or Drink Alcohol

While being young and going to the doctor doesn’t go together, it seems as though being young and going out does. For that reason, the alcohol intake and tobacco consumption among younger people is very high. An important thing to remember is that these things can drastically increase your risk of health issues such as a stroke, so practice moderation where possible.

Dealing With a Stroke In Younger People

Fine the Underlying Issues

Smoking, drinking, birth control methods, hypertension, diet, etc. The list of reasons continues to grow as the numbers for young people experiencing strokes rises. It is known that around 80% of all strokes at any age are caused by a clot blocking blood flow to the brain. However, why that happens can be different for all people. If you have experienced a stroke, it’s important to be open and honest with your doctors with regards to what you do in your daily life. This will help them understand the underlying issues and develop a treatment plan.

Understand the Recovery Time

Experiencing a stroke at a young age means that you’ll most likely deal with some sort of issue for the remainder of your life. This could be something as minor as numbness to something more severe like altered speech patterns or mobility issues. However, unlike someone having a stroke at an older age, you will have much more time to grow with this setback. The positive note is that where older individuals have a harder time recovering due to brain plasticity, younger people do not. In fact, nearly 50-70% of young individuals return to work after a stroke.

Keep Prevention In Mind

Strokes don’t just happen once and go away. There’s often something that makes you more susceptible to future strokes, so it’s important to pay close attention to your methods of prevention. Continue to focus on the proactive methods of exercising, dieting, and quitting smoking and you’ll have a better chance of preventing another.

If you are concerned about your susceptibility of stroke, or have further questions about how to prevent them from happening, contact High Lakes Health Care today to set up an appointment.