Protect Your Brain… Before It’s Too Late! Tips to Prevent Stroke

Protect Your Brain… Before It’s Too Late! Tips to Prevent Stroke
      Have you ever realized… just 4 minutes of interrupted blood flow to the brain can change your life forever? Stroke — or cerebrovascular disease — is one of the leading causes of death and disability in Thailand. The frightening part? It strikes without warning. A stroke occurs when blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut off, causing brain cells to die. This can result in loss of movement, speech, or even death.

Causes of Stroke

• Hemorrhagic stroke : A brain blood vessel ruptures, causing bleeding into brain tissue, compressing and damaging brain cells.
• Ischemic stroke : A brain artery becomes narrowed or blocked, preventing blood from reaching the brain. Because different brain regions control different functions, stroke symptoms depend on the affected area.

• Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm, or leg, often on one side
• Slurred speech, difficulty speaking, or inability to speak
• Sudden confusion or trouble understanding speech
• Sudden double vision, blurred vision, or loss of vision in one eye
• Sudden dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

• Face : Drooping mouth or uneven smile
• Arm : One arm drifts downward or can’t be lifted
• Speech : Slurred or strange speech
• Time : Call emergency services immediately

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Perspective 🇨🇳
      In TCM, stroke is linked to an imbalance of Yin and Yang, causing abnormal Qi and blood flow that surges upward and disturbs the brain. This can lead to symptoms like paralysis, weakness, or slurred speech.

Prevention & Treatment in TCM
Prevention Before Onset

• Maintain a healthy lifestyle: nutritious diet, regular exercise
• Use acupuncture or Chinese herbs to control risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol

• Goal : Restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible to reduce damage
• Combine acupuncture with modern medical treatment to enhance recovery

• Acupuncture and herbal therapy to stimulate brain areas controlling movement
• Improve symptoms like limb weakness, facial drooping, swallowing difficulty, or speech problems

• As stroke recurrence risk is high, acupuncture can help improve cerebral blood flow
• Reduce risk factors and monitor health regularly

• Annual health checks, especially blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Quit smoking and limit alcohol
• Eat more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and fish
• Manage stress with meditation or yoga

      Stroke is a silent killer, but it is preventable if you recognize early warning signs and take proper care. An integrative approach combining modern medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine — such as acupuncture and herbal remedies — can help prevent, treat, rehabilitate, and reduce recurrence. Because your brain is priceless… start protecting it today, before it’s too late.

Article by : Dr. Pakpoom Pisuttiwong, Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Chiang Mai Hospital


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