Finding Your Voice: Overcoming Speech Challenges After a Stroke

Of the nearly 800,000 strokes suffered by Americans each year, roughly 87 percent of them are ischaemic strokes. An ischaemic stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked, and the patient must undergo a life-saving thrombectomy procedure. It is during a thrombectomy when an arterial clot is surgically removed to restore blood flow to the brain.  Strokes are typically thought to predominantly affect the elderly in our communities. In 2022 the American Heart Association reported a decline in strokes among those aged 75 or older. At the same time, people aged 49 or older were seeing an increase in stroke events, currently the leading cause of long-term disability. The Black community, in particular, has seen the highest incidence of stroke in the United States. Black American men are 70 percent more likely to not survive a stroke, while Black women are twice as likely to suffer strokes compared to their white peers.  In any case, the steps to post-stroke recovery will be different for each patient, depending on the type and severity of the stroke. A mild ischaemic stroke, for example, leaves enough room for speech recovery to make a significant impact.   RELATED: Life after Stroke: Tips for...