A bland stroke occurs when one of these clots becomes lodged in the brain's arterial system, and is most severe when the clot blocks one of the brain's four major arteries, or when a narrowed artery clots off at the site of the constriction. Much of the initial impairment from a stroke results from increased pressure within the skull, either from seeping blood, which has no way to drain out of the brain cavity, or from the brain's tendency to swell when injured. The initial improvement in the condition of stroke victims stems from the reduction of this pressure, through medical treatment or surgery. Contrary to what many people think, it does not signify that the brain is healing itself. Brain tissue does not regenerate.
Strokes frequently occur without warning.
If there is an early signal of an impending bleeding stroke, it is usually a bad headache which does not go away. Bland strokes, on the other hand, are sometimes preceded by mild, stroke-like symptoms which last less than 24 hours, but tend to recur. You would be well advised to have a carotid ultrasound test to detect developing blockages in your neck arteries if you have a family history of strokes, persistent high blood pressure, any pre-stroke symptoms, or if your doctor hears what is called a bruit when he applies a stethoscope to your neck. A bruit is a whistling sound in the carotid arteries from blood coursing through a narrowed channel. Return to the CIS Home Page .