Each stroke is different. How well you recover from a stroke depends upon many factors including how much and what parts of your brain were damaged and your health before the stroke. The work you do with your stroke rehabilitation team and the support from family and friends are also important to your recovery.
A stroke damages the brain and causes a sudden loss of brain function. Because your brain controls everything you say, do and think, a stroke can have a wide variety of effects.
The cerebrum
The cerebrum is responsible for controlling movement and sensation, speech, thinking, reasoning, memory, sexual function, and regulation of emotions. It is divided into the right and left sides or hemispheres.
Effects of left hemisphere strokes
Effects of right hemisphere strokes
Brain stem strokes
This is an uncommon type of stroke. The brain stem is the area at the very base of the brain, right above the spinal cord. If you have a stroke in the brain stem, you can have problems with:
Strokes in the cerebellum
Although strokes are less common in the cerebellum, the effects can be severe. Four common effects of strokes in the cerebellum include:
Will a stroke change my life?
Any major illness will change your life. Almost all stroke survivors recover to some extent. Most stroke survivors go on to lead full, meaningful lives. Your stroke rehabilitation team, family, friends and relatives can help you make the best possible recovery. Read our stroke Survivor stories.
Chat with our AI personalities