Currently, the rate of stroke among young people is increasing. Over the past year, the Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital has admitted more than 10 stroke patients aged 26-40 years old.
In October 2023, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hiep, 33 years old, a physical education teacher in Luc Yen ( Yen Bai province ), suffered a stroke due to high blood pressure. After receiving treatment in Hanoi, Mr. Hiep was treated at the Lao Cai Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital in a state of complete paralysis, with zero muscle function in both upper and lower limbs. After 3 months of treatment, Mr. Hiep's health has improved significantly, and he can walk relatively well; however, his hand function remains limited.
A healthy, tall 29-year-old man, Vu Ngoc Trai from Ban Vuoc (Bat Xat) suddenly suffered hemiplegia one morning after waking up due to a stroke. His family rushed him to the Provincial General Hospital for emergency treatment, after which he underwent five more treatment sessions at the Lao Cai Rehabilitation Hospital. Currently, he continues to receive daily rehabilitation treatment from doctors and technicians to address the lingering effects of his hemiplegia.
Technician Tran Anh Lanh, Deputy Head of the Therapy Department at the Provincial Rehabilitation Hospital, said: "Stroke usually occurs suddenly when the blood supply to the brain is blocked, interrupted, or reduced. At that time, the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients, and brain cells begin to die within minutes. Stroke victims have a high risk of death if not detected and treated promptly. This is one of the most dangerous and common neurological diseases today. While in previous years, stroke patients were usually between 70 and 80 years old, in the past year, we have received more than 10 stroke patients aged 26-40."
The golden treatment period for stroke patients is 0 to 3 months for the fastest and most effective recovery. Doctors and technicians at the Traditional Medicine Hospital employ various methods such as acupuncture, massage, acupressure, cupping, thread embedding, and physical rehabilitation therapy, intravascular laser therapy, etc. Currently, the hospital has invested in two shockwave therapy machines to support the treatment of stroke patients. These modern machines use mechanical waves to break down fibrosis, increase nutrient circulation to the painful area, promote tissue and cell regeneration, reduce pain, and help restore mobility for patients.
Severe strokes can be fatal. Young, healthy individuals who experience mild strokes, if detected early and treated correctly, have a good chance of recovery. However, young people are often the primary breadwinners in their families, and at an age when they have many plans and ambitions. Therefore, when a stroke results in paralysis, limited motor and speech functions, and dependence on family members, they often experience stress and depression.
Technician Tran Anh Lanh said: "Some patients have symptoms of depression, so we face many difficulties in treatment. Therefore, in addition to conventional rehabilitation methods, we apply psychotherapy, relieve stress for patients, and organize group activities to help them integrate and accept their condition. Besides that, we also regularly communicate with the patients' relatives so they can cooperate in supporting daily exercises and providing psychological encouragement to the patients."
According to Mr. Lanh, stroke patients need to strictly follow their doctor's prescribed medication to avoid recurrence. While a patient may fully recover from the first stroke, subsequent strokes can leave more severe and difficult-to-recover sequelae. Young people should not be complacent about strokes. To prevent them, they need to eat a healthy diet, avoiding fatty foods and organ meats, and consuming plenty of green vegetables; they should not abuse alcohol, beer, or stimulants; and they should have regular health checkups every six months to detect vascular diseases and other conditions, including high blood pressure. Those who have a habit of showering at night should change this habit because nighttime is when the internal organs rest, and showering after 10 PM should be avoided, especially for those with atherosclerosis.
At the Provincial General Hospital, doctors have mastered the technique of ventricular drainage and thrombolytic therapy for stroke, successfully treating many stroke patients using this method. Patients need to be treated with thrombolytic drugs within 3 hours of symptom onset; early administration of the drug every 15 minutes reduces the rate of disability by 4%. There have been many heartbreaking cases of severe sequelae after stroke, and even cases of death due to stroke in young people in their early 20s. Therefore, young people need to adopt a positive lifestyle and have regular health checkups to screen for risks and protect their health.
Source
Comment (0)