A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by a clot or bursts. Once deprived of oxygen, the affected part of the brain starts to die. Ischemic strokes, which are caused by clotted arteries, are the most common, accounting for 70-80 percent of strokes. Strokes from ruptured blood vessels are called hemorrhagic strokes. If a part of the brain dies from lack of blood flow, the part of the body it controls is affected.
Strokes can cause paralysis, affect language and vision, and cause other problems.
Bouncing back Given the many potential effects of stroke, surviving is just the beginning of what is usually an uphill battle for people like Savini. Simple tasks once taken for granted, such as walking, talking, thinking and even chewing or swallowing often become very difficult, sometimes almost alien. The task of helping people recover from the effects of a stroke falls on therapists like David Swenski of HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital in Reno. For most people, the goal is to help them be able to do the same things they used to do as closely as possible, Swenski said. That often relates to things like getting up, walking and being able to move independently without somebody to help them.