It’s freezing cold, pay attention to your body’s "call for help"
Guangzhou Daily (all-media reporter Weng Shuxian, correspondent Han Wenqing) Uncle Liao, 70, returned to the countryside on New Year’s Day for the holidays, when the cold wave hit.
When the family was eating, the chopsticks held by Uncle Liao suddenly slipped from his hands to the ground.
After a short rest, my hands were still trembling and weak, and I couldn't even pick up the teacup. I felt numb from the right shoulder to the fingers... The next day, Uncle Liao's numbness and weakness did not alleviate symptoms, and his right leg seemed to be filled with lead. heavy.
Uncle Liao’s daughter recalled that he had a small stroke two years ago and had similar symptoms. Could it be a recurrence of cerebral infarction?
Under the persuasion of his daughter, Uncle Liao went to the Neurology Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.
A detailed examination revealed that one branch of the left middle cerebral artery of Uncle Liao was blocked, and it was indeed a cerebral infarction.
Sudden drop in temperature increases in patients with cerebral infarction
Cerebral infarction, also known as ischemic stroke or ischemic stroke, is a common middle-aged and elderly vascular disease.
"Climate change is one of the important incentives. About half of the cases occur when the weather changes suddenly in autumn and winter." Professor Xu Pingyi from the Department of Neurology of the First Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University pointed out that the temperature has dropped sharply recently and the number of patients admitted to the hospital due to cerebral infarction has increased significantly. .
He explained that, due to cold stimulation, people’s brain blood vessels constrict, blood pressure is extremely unstable, blood viscosity increases, blood flow slows down, and cerebral thrombosis is easy to cause. Suddenly, one or both eyes cannot see things clearly, falls, and transient dizziness. Or fainting, numbness, weakness, clumsiness, heaviness, unclear speech and other symptoms in the face or one side of the limbs.
Cerebral infarction has a high rate of death and disability, recent cold weather, large temperature difference between indoor and outdoor, patients with a history of cerebral infarction, middle-aged and elderly people with risk of diseases such as "three highs", etc., should not be taken care of.
Don't miss the golden treatment window
Xu Pingyi reminded that if there are elderly people in the family, they should take care of them and observe them carefully.
Some people have small focal cerebral infarction. Because of the small ischemic focus, the early onset of blurred vision, dizziness or numbness, weakness and other symptoms may only last for tens of seconds to minutes and disappear, which can easily be ignored.
Once the above manifestations appear, it may be a sign of cerebral infarction, which should be dealt with as soon as possible to avoid the development of large-scale cerebral infarction.
"4 hours after cerebral infarction is the best golden treatment time, that is, the time window for thrombolysis. Once the above symptoms occur, you should immediately go to the doctor for thrombolytic therapy to guide the recanalization of the cerebral blood vessels to keep the patient out of danger." Xu Pingyi emphasized, "Time is the brain", the more timely the treatment, the better the effect of treatment and prognosis.
To carry out intravenous thrombolytic therapy and intravascular therapy (thrombectomy) within the time window is the most effective treatment at present.
If you don't pay enough attention to these small "warnings" issued by the body, you will miss the optimal time for thrombolysis, and the consequences will be disastrous.
Seek medical attention if these symptoms occur
Xu Pingyi suggested that in cold weather, the elderly should not only keep warm, increase or decrease the clothing according to the temperature to avoid freezing, but also ensure adequate sleep, exercise properly, maintain a good mood, quit smoking and limit alcohol, and drink more soup and more on weekdays. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to supplement essential vitamins to prevent constipation.
At the same time, pay attention to a low-salt and low-fat diet and eat less greasy, spicy and irritating food.
Middle-aged and elderly people with family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, previous cerebral infarction and other risk factors, once they have headache, dizziness, gait instability, hand/shoulder numbness, or one hand Inability to hold things, crooked speech, slurred speech and other symptoms, you should go to a regular hospital for diagnosis and treatment in time to avoid missing the best time for treatment.