While most people tend to think of strokes as something that happens to older people, a stroke can occur at any age. In the United States, nearly 795,000 people suffer from a stroke each year, with one in four survivors experiencing another stroke in their lifetime. The good news is that nearly 80% of strokes are preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.
A stroke is an attack that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, either by a blockage or the rupture of a blood vessel. This causes a disruption in the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells, causing them to die. Brain cells can die in as little as five minutes without oxygen and after 10 minutes, some damage may be irreversible.
There are several different types of strokes, but all cause damage to the brain.
1. Transient Ischemic Attack (aka TIA) – This is a “warning stroke” caused by a temporary clot. Take this warning sign for stroke seriously and go to the emergency room immediately.
2. Ischemic Stroke – These occur when a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain is obstructed. It accounts for 87% of all strokes.
3. Hemorrhagic Stroke – Occurs when a weakened blood vessel ruptures. The two types of weakened blood vessels that usually cause hemorrhagic stroke are aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The most common cause of hemorrhagic stroke is uncontrolled high blood pressure.
4. Cryptogenic Stroke – In most cases, clots that block blood flow to the brain cause a stroke. Sometimes, the cause of a stroke can’t be determined and this is known as a cryptogenic stroke.
There is a mnemonic that you can use to help you determine if you or someone you’re with is experiencing a stroke…F.A.S.T.
F – Face drooping, often on one side, mouth looks particularly lopsided
A – Arm weakness, usually on one side, person cannot lift arm or it feels numb
S – Speech difficulty or speech is slurred. The person is unable to speak or has trouble forming thoughts into words (aphasia)
T – Time to call 911. If a person shows the signs of stroke, they need medical attention right away. Get them to the emergency room as quickly as possible.
Depending on where in the brain the stroke has occurred, symptoms will vary somewhat. A stroke that occurs in the right hemisphere of the brain will cause weakness and numbness on the left side of the body. It may also affect a person’s ability to recognize what is going on with the weakened parts of the body. This is sometimes called “neglect.” Visual and / or spatial impairment are common signs of right side stroke, making it hard to see or find things.
Strokes on the left side of the brain cause weakness on the right side of the body and may also impair vision and / or the ability to orient oneself in space. The ability to reason, read and perform mathematical calculations may be impaired. Left side stroke is more likely to cause feelings of depression and change a person’s personality so that they become more anxious and hesitant.
While some people bounce back after a stroke, others need months or even years of post-stroke rehabilitation to feel like themselves again. In Western medicine, post-stroke care typically focuses on therapies like physical therapy to help regain movement and strength, occupational therapy to relearn daily activities, speech therapy, mental health support and even medications to temporarily lower blood pressure, while implementing lifestyle changes. These approaches are essential and can even be life-saving. However, they don’t always address every aspect of recovery. Many stroke survivors still struggle with lingering symptoms, including pain, emotional distress, fatigue and limited progress in mobility or function.
This is where East Asian Medicine (EAM) comes in as a powerful ally. Rather than replacing conventional treatments, acupuncture supports them by working with the body’s natural healing systems. It enhances blood flow, regulates the nervous system, reduces inflammation and helps restore energy, all of which are crucial for recovery but often under-addressed in standard rehab programs.
In EAM, a stroke is more than just an illness of the brain as it affects the meridians and other organs too. From the EAM perspective, a stroke is thought to be caused by internal and external influences, resulting in disrupted and unsettled flow of qi and blood in the body, which ultimately rush upwards to the head. Knowing and understanding the internal and external factors contributing to the development of a stroke enables one to take precautionary actions to reduce the risk of stroke occurrences.
According to EAM, a stroke happens due to internal factors of deficiency, stagnation, fire / heat, phlegm and wind.
1. Yin Deficiency – especially affecting the liver and kidney systems. This happens often due to behaviors like staying up late, not getting enough sleep and eating more heat-producing foods.
2. Heat – strong emotions of anger and frustration, due to stress and conflict, can contribute to a build up of too much hot energy in the body, especially impacting the heart and liver.
3. Phlegm – another internal factor, the formation of phlegm in the body can happen due to unhealthy eating habits. The build up of phlegm particularly affects the spleen and contributes to post-stroke problems with speech, numbness in the limbs and mental fogginess.
4. Stagnation – this refers to blood and / or qi being stuck, unable to flow freely through the vessels and meridians. Acupuncture treatments and exercise can help get qi and blood moving again.
5. Wind – In EAM, wind is a pathogenic factor that can enter the body from the outside environment (external), or wind can be an internal factor, generated within the body. In the case of stroke, internal wind is considered to be the cause of a person losing their conscious awareness of their body and becoming mentally disconnected and / or physically paralyzed.
EAM works best when the symptoms are new, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still see positive results if it has been some time since the stroke occurred. Any type of stroke symptom can be treated with acupuncture and EAM. However, the effectiveness of the treatment depends on the extent of the brain damage. In the early stages, acupuncture can help reduce swelling, improve circulation and support the nervous system’s recovery. As time goes on, it continues to ease pain, improve movement and boost energy. Whether you’re focused on physical rehabilitation, emotional support or managing lingering symptoms, acupuncture and EAM can meet you where you are.
As mentioned before, strokes are mostly preventable through healthy lifestyle choices and utilization of practices that help improve circulation. Cerebral hemorrhage can be prevented because it presents with warning signs. If there is a pulling sensation or pain around the acupoint known as gallbladder 20, located on either side of the head at the base of the skull, EAM can help prevent it. Since small blood vessels branch off from the aorta and lead to the brain, there is constant ‘traffic’ in that area. When the traffic becomes severe, a rupture can occur. If blood circulation is poor, the blood becomes thick and sticky like tar, leading to blocked blood vessels.
EAM can help with many of the precursor type illnesses that can contribute to a stroke. If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, a history of heart problems or you are overweight, your risk for having a stroke is higher. If you have suffered a stroke, you will most likely need lots of support and may need a fairly rigorous course of therapy to help you regain your strength and ability. Patients who are recovering from a stroke should ideally receive 2-3 acupuncture treatments per week in order to get the most benefit. Integrative care may be exactly what is needed to make the fullest recovery possible following a stroke.