Myth No. 3: Strokes are just for elderly people

I was 39. And I'm not the only one, not by far - scores of people younger than me have had strokes. Thus another installment of the occasional series about myths about strokes.

Strokes do not recognize your age. It can happen to the young or the old. Check out the chilling facts about how hospitalizations are rising quickly among younger adults:

Because strokes are most often associated with old age, symptoms in younger adults are often overlooked, according to patients, advocates and physicians. And their need for rehabilitation – to return to active lives as parents and employees, for instance – can be underestimated.

Myth No. 2: Just wait it out, and if you feel better, ignore it

Most of us have heard stories or actually witnessed it - someone is having stroke-like symptoms but instead of seeking immediate help, simply waits.

And sometimes, the symptoms go away and the person never seeks help.

But it's a myth that you shouldn't bother with help after a transient ischemic attack, or a mini-stroke. They can be precursors for something far, far worse.

Read this story, which I cited several before, on how one in eight strokes are preceded by a mini-stroke:

Myth No. 1: Aphasia and intelligence

In the next several weeks, look for occasional postings concerning myths about strokes, symptoms and survivors.

One is near and dear to my heart - aphasia.

When I had my stroke back in '98, I struggled to relearn how to speak, read and write (some people might think I'm still learning). But one very annoying aspect of this: people assumed that my intelligence was lowered because I had trouble with communication.

Talk about bad news...

Not long ago, the CBS affiliate in Dallas/Fort Worth tried to run a story on a worthy topic - "Know the earlly warning signs of a stroke" but with unworthy content.

A glaring error in describing "early symptoms" includes "horrendous headaches for two consecutive weeks." Now, if someone is really having a stroke (likely the kind in which the brain is bleeding, not the kind with the blood clot), then waiting for two weeks is tantamount to suicide.

No, "early symptoms" might include the sudden onset of a horrendous headache. More like two minutes, not two weeks.

Plus - and you might have read this here before - often, stroke victims do not even have a headache. The National Stroke Association offers these easy-to-remember signs, called F.A.S.T. :

FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Myth: Only the obviously unhealthy have strokes

 Now, it's trendy to be stroke aware - it happened when Bret Michaels had a warning stroke and later diagnosed with a patent foramen ovale - a hole between the upper chambers of his heart:

So what exactly is a patent foramen ovale, and how common is it? We spoke with Dr. Jonathan Tobis, clinical professor of cardiology and director of interventional cardiology at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, who explained that this is a congenital condition. Fetuses normally have a hole, or flap, between the left and right atria of the heart that allows blood to flow in between, bypassing the lungs. Once the baby is born and taking in oxygen to the lungs, that flap seals up -- or it's supposed to. In about 20% to 25% of people it stays open, leaving a small to large hole that still allows some blood to flow between the atria.

Most people never know they have this condition. But it may cause strokes, although rarely, Tobis said: "A blood clot can form and travel a pathway from the right to the left atrium and up to the brain, causing a stroke." It’s typically corrected these days with a catheter-based method that "is sort of like closing a button hole," he said. "It's a relatively simple procedure done as an outpatient."

Tobis said people shouldn't go running to their doctors demanding an echocardiogram to see whether they have this condition, because most remain asymptomatic throughout their lives.

Michaels, 47, has had a few struggles in his life but on appearance, seems healthy enough. His story, though, can serve as a cautionary tale. He's not old. Not puny or weak-looking. Active. So was I. So have countless others.

So even if someone seems healthy, know and pay attention to the signs and symptoms of a stroke.

Myth: Headaches always accompany strokes

This is a cautionary note about a myth that might make you hesitate to get some help if you or someone you care about might be having a stroke.

People might remember the following stroke symptoms, as the American Stroke Association lays out:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

However, people might miss the not-so-fine print, also on the association's Web site:

If you notice one or more of these signs, don't wait. Stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or your emergency medical services. Get to a hospital right away!

Notice the association doesn't say get if if someone has all the signs. Just once would suffice.

I did not have a headache associated with my stroke. Most of the people I've spoken with who have gone through having a stroke tell me that he or she did not have a headache. While a sudden, severe headache is a clear warning sign, especially of a hemorrhagic stroke. But it's only one sign, and you should pay attention to all of them.

Myth: Strokes only happen to the elderly (Part 2)

Last week, we talked about the myth that strokes happen only to the elderly.

More news still showing that  strokes aren't limited to the elderly:

"We see stroke victims of all ages," said Michele Peaches, a nurse at HealthSouth Deaconess Rehabilitation Hospital. "Some people think, 'Well I'm in my 30s or 40s, and its something I'll be concerned about when I'm elderly,' and that's just not the case.

"With the inactive lifestyles and unhealthy diets that are so prevalent today, everyone is at risk — young and old."

During May, Stroke Awareness Month, remember that even for the 30s and younger, you need to educate yourself about what to see and what to do when a stroke occurs.

Myth: Strokes only happen to the elderly

Are you under 50? Under 40? Under 30?

So you shouldn't worry about strokes, right?

Wrong.

It happened to me at age 39. Follow this link and you'll find stories and studies showing that even people in their 30s and younger can be affected.

There are a variety of causes - mine, as best the experts can tell, came about because of a now-fixed heart defect called a patent foramen ovale. Others fall in to the risk groups because of preventable - smoking, for example - factors and genetic predisposition of, say, high cholesterol.

At any age, you need to be aware of stroke risk factors, signs and symptoms.

One recent story about strokes and younger populations:

Studies increasingly show that devastating and chronic health conditions and the risk factors associated with them are reaching an ever-younger population, says Doug Van Houten, R.N., clinical coordinator of Washington Hospital’s Stroke Program.

"Younger and younger people are being affected by chronic health issues," he says. "The way to treat all these devastating conditions is that we need to start encouraging people at a young age, as young as elementary school, to adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity and better food choices."

Time for stroke awareness

May is Stroke Awareness Month. As a journalist, I'm not crazy about the idea of always having a Fill in the Blank Month. As a stroke survivor, though, I know that it's very important for everyone to be aware of stroke signs and symptoms, stroke risk factors and even myths about strokes.

During this month, watch for some postings about common myths about strokes, such as:

• It only happens to old people.
• There's nothing you can do about a stroke
• If you think you are having a stroke, just wait and see if you feel better.
• If you are not having a headache, you're not having a stroke.
• Strokes only happen to obviously unhealthy people.

All false - and dangerous for those having a stroke.

Again, battling stroke myths and misunderstandings

Here's another slant on taking down some misconceptions about strokes and survivors - in an article titled "Ex-scientist's stroke opens minds to recovery."

When Jill Bolte Taylor had a stroke in 1996, it didn't just change her life. ...

"I've actually had people write me, 'I'm apologizing to you for how I treated stroke patients,'" says Taylor, 50.

Her experience and book has changed how some health professionals have treated survivors.

Shedding stroke myths

Lately, I've done a lot of thinking about stroke myths and incorrect assumptions.

This blog touched on those last week, but the topic is too important - life and death important - to leave it alone.

One recent story - Survivors shed stroke myths and issue warnings - is worth reading. It starts with a 22-year-old survivor:

Luckily surviving her stroke, the next year became a battle few people in their 20s endure and next to none expect. Ms [Hana] Ascano began a long road to recovery from trauma to her cerebellum, causing temporary paralysis along the left side of her face and body.

Fighting to smile, sit up and walk again; she endured an arduous journey that she admits was lonely and seemed hopeless at times, but the university student says she is now close to 100 per cent recovered.

So even if someone is young and seemingly healthy, don't ignore stroke symptoms:

To quote the National Stroke Association, those include:

SUDDEN numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg - especially on one side of the body.

SUDDEN confusion, trouble speaking or understanding.

SUDDEN trouble seeing in one or both eyes.

SUDDEN trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.

SUDDEN severe headache with no known cause.

It's important, though, NOT assume you'll see ALL the symptoms. For example, mine didn't cause a headache. A friend's stroke didn't cause speech problems. Just one sign is enough to get someone to a hospital immediately.

Not later. Not tomorrow. Don't let them talk you out of it. Don't wait and see if they feel better.

The difference could be death or a lifelong disability.

(Image from CDC)