Stroke & Aphasia
What is a stroke?
A stroke is a brain attack and can happen to anyone at anytime. Over 4,000 in Northern Ireland have a stroke each year. Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the UK and is the leading cause of severe disability.
A stroke is what happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Blood carries essential nutrients and oxygen to the brain. Without a blood supply, brain cells can be damaged or destroyed and won't be able to do their job.
Because the brain controls everything the body does, damage to the brain will affect body functions. For example, if a stroke damages the part of the brain that controls how limbs move, limb movement will be affected.
The brain also controls how we think, learn, feel and communicate A stroke can also affect these mental processes.
What is aphasia?
Imagine how frustrating it is to have a word on the tip of your tongue - all the time! That's aphasia.
Aphasia is a devastating communication disability resulting from a stroke or sometimes head injury. It is a largely hidden disability which seriously affects a person's ability to speak, read, write and communicate with the world around them.
Facts on stroke and aphasia
Here are the startling facts on stroke and aphasia in Northern Ireland:
- Approximately 4,000 people in NI will have a stroke this year.
- Stroke is the leading cause of aphasia and adult disability within NI and the UK.
- There are an estimated 10,000 people in NI living with aphasia, more than Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis combined.
- It is estimated that five new cases of aphasia are diagnosed on average every day in NI.
Every 5 minutes someone in the UK has a stroke