Brainstem Stroke
Arteries carry blood that contains oxygen to the brain. The flow of blood through the arteries can stop if the artery is blocked or bleeds. This is called a stroke. It is also known as a cerebrovascular accident or CVA.
A brainstem stroke can be more serious than other types of strokes.
The brainstem is central to many vital bodily functions. It controls:
In some cases, a brainstem stroke may lead to paralysis. With paralysis, one or both sides of the body may be unable to move. This can lead to a specific type of disorder known as “Locked-in Syndrome.”
The brainstem is made up of three parts: the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. There are six arteries that carry blood to the brainstem. Some carry blood to the left side of the body. Others carry blood to the right side of the body. Damage to any of the arteries can result in injury.
Changes in breathing
One serious effect of a brainstem stroke is damage to the areas that control breathing and alertness. Changes in breathing can affect blood pressure and heart rate. The patient may need his or her breathing controlled for by machine. If the brainstem is compressed from swelling it may be difficult for the person to wake up, coma.
Changes in body movement
Brainstem injury from stroke can change movement. The stroke stops the brainstem from sending messages to the cerebellum. The cerebellum, is the area the brainstem, which tells the body muscles how to work together and is important for co-ordination and balance. The loss of movement or weakness can make it difficult to walk or complete daily activities. The opposite side of the body to the one where the stroke occurred will be affected, the contralateral side.
When the body is unable to coordinate how the muscles move together, this is known as ataxia
Changes in body sensation
After a stroke, it can be hard for the person to feel touch or know where exactly they are being touched. These changes may occur in the face on the same side as the stroke (ipsilateral) and in the body on the opposite side (contralateral).
Changes in speech and swallow
Brainstem injury can change how the muscles of the mouth, tongue and throat work. It can be difficult to speak or swallow. The person may have to have a diiferent texture of diet such as pureed or fork mashable or have their fluids thickened to prevent coughing, choking or developing a chest infection (aspiration pneumonia). It is also common to have voice changes and slurred speech (dysarthria).
Changes in eye movement
Brainstem stroke may change how the eyes move. They may move from side to side, up and down or around without control. It can affect one or both eyes. This is nystagmus. This may make the person feel dizzy, nauseous, or suffer from vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that the body is moving through space or spinning, when the person is staying still.
Locked-in Syndrome
Locked-in syndrome, or LIS for short, is a condition in which a patient is aware and awake but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for the eyes. Jean Dominique Bauby dictated the book “The Diving Bell and The Butterfly” using his eye blinks and it describes vividly his experiences of LIS. Kate Allatt is a lady who has recovered form LIS and has written a number of books and is an avid campaigner see: www.fightingstrokes.org
Specialist Speech Therapy is a speech and language therapy practice which specialises in the assessment and treatment of speech, language and swallowing difficulties as a result of brain stem stroke. Contact us today for a free, no obligation discussion of your needs or to arrange an appointment in Birmingham, Solihull and the West Midlands.
Arteries carry blood that contains oxygen to the brain. The flow of blood through the arteries can stop if the artery is blocked or bleeds. This is called a stroke. It is also known as a cerebrovascular accident or CVA.
A brainstem stroke can be more serious than other types of strokes.
The brainstem is central to many vital bodily functions. It controls:
- Heart rate
- Blood pressure
- Breathing
- Swallowing
- Eye movement
- Speech
- Body movement
- Hearing, but this is less common
In some cases, a brainstem stroke may lead to paralysis. With paralysis, one or both sides of the body may be unable to move. This can lead to a specific type of disorder known as “Locked-in Syndrome.”
The brainstem is made up of three parts: the midbrain, the pons, and the medulla. There are six arteries that carry blood to the brainstem. Some carry blood to the left side of the body. Others carry blood to the right side of the body. Damage to any of the arteries can result in injury.
Changes in breathing
One serious effect of a brainstem stroke is damage to the areas that control breathing and alertness. Changes in breathing can affect blood pressure and heart rate. The patient may need his or her breathing controlled for by machine. If the brainstem is compressed from swelling it may be difficult for the person to wake up, coma.
Changes in body movement
Brainstem injury from stroke can change movement. The stroke stops the brainstem from sending messages to the cerebellum. The cerebellum, is the area the brainstem, which tells the body muscles how to work together and is important for co-ordination and balance. The loss of movement or weakness can make it difficult to walk or complete daily activities. The opposite side of the body to the one where the stroke occurred will be affected, the contralateral side.
When the body is unable to coordinate how the muscles move together, this is known as ataxia
Changes in body sensation
After a stroke, it can be hard for the person to feel touch or know where exactly they are being touched. These changes may occur in the face on the same side as the stroke (ipsilateral) and in the body on the opposite side (contralateral).
Changes in speech and swallow
Brainstem injury can change how the muscles of the mouth, tongue and throat work. It can be difficult to speak or swallow. The person may have to have a diiferent texture of diet such as pureed or fork mashable or have their fluids thickened to prevent coughing, choking or developing a chest infection (aspiration pneumonia). It is also common to have voice changes and slurred speech (dysarthria).
Changes in eye movement
Brainstem stroke may change how the eyes move. They may move from side to side, up and down or around without control. It can affect one or both eyes. This is nystagmus. This may make the person feel dizzy, nauseous, or suffer from vertigo. Vertigo is the sensation that the body is moving through space or spinning, when the person is staying still.
Locked-in Syndrome
Locked-in syndrome, or LIS for short, is a condition in which a patient is aware and awake but cannot move or communicate verbally due to complete paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body except for the eyes. Jean Dominique Bauby dictated the book “The Diving Bell and The Butterfly” using his eye blinks and it describes vividly his experiences of LIS. Kate Allatt is a lady who has recovered form LIS and has written a number of books and is an avid campaigner see: www.fightingstrokes.org
Specialist Speech Therapy is a speech and language therapy practice which specialises in the assessment and treatment of speech, language and swallowing difficulties as a result of brain stem stroke. Contact us today for a free, no obligation discussion of your needs or to arrange an appointment in Birmingham, Solihull and the West Midlands.