Being very intuitive, I have a tendency to speak and act in ways that address people's needs without always being consciously aware of why. One evening, I called Rhett, a man I had worked with a time or two, to follow up and see how he was doing. Rhett was sleeping at the time I called, and my call woke him up. As we spoke, he recognized that he was showing signs of a stroke and promptly sought medical attention. Rhett has since credited me with calling at a crucial time, which led him to seek timely medical attention, thereby preventing far worse consequences.

Rhett did the right thing. If you suspect you're having a stroke, call 911 and get medical attention immediately. Receiving treatment within three hours can significantly reduce the severity of damage and disability.

As a result of the stroke, Rhett was experiencing a range of symptoms, including significant distortion in his field of vision. He also had an enormous amount of anger surfacing.

I worked with Rhett for some time after he suffered the stroke. He did experience significant improvement as a result of the individual sessions, although he continued to experience some distortion in his field of vision. As the backlog of hurt and anger dissipated, Rhett was able to let go of his attachment to a woman with whom he had a very ambiguous relationship that was causing him enormous pain. He also became a lot more personable. It wasn't long afterward that Rhett met and formed a relationship with another woman. They moved across the country together, and he is now happily partnered with someone with whom he's much more compatible.

Reducing Stroke Risk: Effective Prevention Strategies

Before going any further, I feel it’s important to address effective prevention strategies. Strokes can often be prevented through healthy lifestyle choices and close collaboration with your health care provider. High cholesterol and blood pressure are significant risk factors for stroke. Eating foods low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol, and high in fiber, helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Limiting salt intake is important too, as it can lower blood pressure. It's also advisable to avoid energy drinks, which are linked to an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Making healthy food choices, such as consuming plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, is crucial.

Obesity is another risk factor for stroke. Physical activity enhances overall heart health, so staying active is key. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption both contribute to increased blood pressure, so avoiding smoking and limiting alcohol are important preventive measures. Regular check-ups with your health care provider are essential to understand and reduce your stroke risk.

Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like fatty fish, nuts, seeds, and avocados, are beneficial. Studies have shown that consuming extra-virgin olive oil daily, as part of a Mediterranean diet, can reduce the risk of both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes. Foods high in magnesium also help in reducing stroke risk. Supplements such as folic acid (vitamin B-9), vitamins B-6 and B-12, NAC (N-acetyl cysteine), and Nattokinase are shown to aid in stroke prevention.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries and Stroke

The severity and combination of TBI and stroke symptoms can vary widely from person to person, reflecting the diverse ways in which these conditions affect the brain. For some individuals, symptoms may be mild and short-lived, manifesting as temporary confusion, slight headaches, or brief episodes of dizziness. Others may experience more severe and long-lasting effects, such as persistent cognitive impairments, difficulties with speech and language, and significant changes in motor skills or sensory perception.

Common cognitive symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) include memory loss, difficulty concentrating or paying attention, disorientation and confusion, slowed processing of information, and impaired judgment and decision-making. Physical symptoms may include headaches, vertigo or dizziness, balance issues, as well as fatigue, sleep disturbances, nausea, vomiting, and slurred speech. Sensory impairments from TBI can manifest as blurred vision, ringing in the ears, a bad taste in the mouth, and sensitivity to light and sound, along with changes in smell and taste. Emotional and behavioral changes are also frequent, encompassing mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, and agitation. These can sometimes escalate to changes in personality and behavioral changes, such as increased aggression. In more severe cases, symptoms may include seizures, weakness or numbness in the extremities, and loss of coordination.

Stroke

Hemorrhagic strokes occur when internal bleeding around the brain creates swelling and pressure, compressing and damaging brain tissue. Ischemic strokes happen when a blood clot obstructs a blood vessel in the brain, cutting off vital blood flow and oxygen, leading to the death of brain cells and potential lasting brain damage.

Physical symptoms of stroke include sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body. These symptoms also encompass trouble walking, dizziness or loss of balance, lack of coordination, and severe headaches. Cognitive and perceptual symptoms include confusion, trouble with speaking and understanding speech, difficulty in seeing with one or both eyes, and challenges with perception and spatial awareness. Emotional changes can include depression, anxiety, frustration, and irritability.

Conventional Medical Treatment for Traumatic Brain Injuries

The specific treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and stroke varies based on the severity and specifics of each case. In both cases, treatments are highly individualized, taking into account the patient's specific condition, age, overall health, and the severity of the injury. The primary aims of the healthcare team in treating both TBI and stroke are to stabilize the patient, minimize further damage, address the underlying cause, and support recovery through rehabilitation.

For individuals suffering from TBI, vital signs, neurological status, and the extent of injuries are assessed by medical personnel. Treatment to stabilize the patient may include ensuring a reliable airway, adequate breathing, and circulation. It is crucial to prevent further injury to the head or neck and to control any external bleeding.

Diuretics may be administered to reduce fluid in tissues and increase urine output, helping to reduce intracranial pressure. Anti-seizure drugs are prescribed for patients at risk for seizures, which can cause additional brain damage. In severe cases, coma-inducing drugs may be used to lower brain activity and facilitate healing.

Surgery may be necessary to relieve pressure in the skull in cases of significant swelling, bleeding, or the presence of blood clots (hematomas). This can involve repairing skull fractures or performing a craniectomy to open a window in the skull to alleviate pressure.

Rehabilitation is often a crucial part of the recovery process and may involve multiple disciplines, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy and psychotherapy. The objective is to improve the patient’s ability to perform daily activities and enhance their quality of life.

Stroke Treatment

Immediate treatment for a stroke includes a rapid assessment, which typically involves brain imaging (usually a CT scan) to determine the type of stroke — ischemic or hemorrhagic. For ischemic strokes, clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics like alteplase) are often used, but they must be administered within a few hours after the onset of symptoms. Antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants are also used to prevent new clots from forming.

In the case of ischemic stroke, procedures like mechanical thrombectomy, which involves removing the clot using a catheter, may be performed. For hemorrhagic stroke, surgery might be required to repair blood vessel abnormalities or relieve pressure caused by bleeding.

Rehabilitation should start as soon as possible and can involve physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychotherapy. The goal is to help the patient regain as much independence as possible and learn new ways to compensate for abilities lost due to the stroke.

Secondary prevention includes addressing underlying conditions such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, or diabetes. Lifestyle modifications, such as diet, exercise, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption, are also encouraged.

Similarities Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and stroke are both conditions that affect the brain, and they share several similarities in terms of their impact on an individual's cognitive and physical functions. There's a significant overlap in the way TBI and stroke affect people.

Both TBI and stroke involve injury to the brain, but their causes differ. TBI is usually the result of an external force, such as a blow to the head, and can often result in brain damage. Stroke, on the other hand, is caused by a disruption in blood flow to the brain, either due to a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding (hemorrhagic stroke).

Both TBI and stroke can result in cognitive impairments, including difficulties with memory, attention, problem-solving, and executive functioning. The severity and type of cognitive impairment depend on the area(s) of the brain affected and the extent of the injury.

People who suffer from TBI or stroke commonly experience a range of physical challenges, such as partial paralysis or weakness (hemiparesis), difficulty with coordination and balance, and changes in sensory perception. These challenges often affect mobility and their ability to perform many of the normal everyday activities that they have done their whole life.

Both TBI and stroke can cause aphasia, a disorder that affects the ability to communicate. This can manifest as difficulty in speaking, understanding speech, reading, or writing, depending on the area of the brain affected.

Emotional and behavioral changes are also fairly common. This can include depression, anxiety, mood swings, anger, irritability, and impulsivity. These changes are often a response to the brain injury itself, as well as the stress of coping with the new challenges brought on by the condition.

TBI and Stroke's Prolonged Effects

Both Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and stroke are medical emergencies that necessitate immediate medical attention. While emergency and initial medical treatments are essential and can be lifesaving, they often do not fully resolve the long-term effects of these conditions.

Many individuals with TBI continue to endure a range of persistent symptoms, the severity of which depends on the extent of the injury. These symptoms can include physical issues like headaches and dizziness, as well as cognitive impairments such as memory loss and difficulty concentrating.

Additional lasting neurological and psychological effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, or long-term cognitive deficits, often persist and may not be fully addressed by conventional treatment. Emotional disturbances, including depression, anxiety, or mood swings, are also common and can significantly impact daily life. Consequently, many individuals continue to face challenges in returning to work, maintaining relationships, and functioning effectively in other aspects of their lives.

Long-Term Effects and Recovery Post-Stroke

After a stroke, many survivors are left with residual impairments, even after receiving initial medical treatment. Common long-term effects include weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, speech and language difficulties, and cognitive impairments.

Stroke survivors can experience profound changes in their emotional and mental health. Depression, anxiety, and feelings of frustration and anger are common. These emotional responses can be due to both the psychological impact of the stroke and the physical changes in the brain.

Stroke recovery often involves extensive rehabilitation. While some patients regain much of their pre-stroke function, others may have lasting disabilities, requiring ongoing therapy and assistance. Many, after suffering from a stroke, must make significant lifestyle adjustments. Adapting to physical limitations, relearning skills, and coping with cognitive changes can be challenging and can affect one’s independence and self-esteem. Stroke survivors are also at increased risk for future strokes, leading to a need for ongoing medical management and lifestyle modifications to mitigate this risk.

Traditional Indigenous Healing Practices for TBI and Stroke

Having trained with a traditional Native American doctor (medicine man), I have for many years assisted people with a wide range of health-related issues. In one-on-one, in-person sessions, I serve as a conduit, allowing an extraordinarily powerful presence to work through me, facilitating healing within the body and mind. People I work with often describe feeling a regenerative process taking place within their physical bodies.

I am cautious not to make claims or promises. Yet, people I've worked with who have suffered from TBIs and strokes report to me – and I observe these changes – a regaining of functions that were lost or compromised as a result of the TBI or stroke. They show improvements in physical mobility, mental clarity, and cognitive functions. Their mood stabilizes, their speech becomes clearer, and they are able to reengage in life. They also experience alleviation of numbness, deadening, pain, and sensations that resemble electrical malfunctions that I mentioned previously.

Remarkable Recoveries: Accounts of Renewal and Resilience

There are two individuals I worked with some years back when I was living in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whose stories I would like to share. The first, Bill, suffered trauma to the occipital lobe. He experienced debilitating fatigue and lacked mental clarity. Around the time we started working together, Bill enrolled in massage school. He had to retake anatomy and physiology due to difficulties in retaining information the first time. As he continued to work with me, Bill showed tremendous improvement. He passed anatomy and physiology on his second attempt and subsequently passed the state exam for massage therapists. After completing his certification, Bill was able to work full time as a massage therapist.

Sonia, on the other hand, suffered as a result of contracting meningitis years before we met. Although it's a different condition than TBI or stroke, she too experienced significant cognitive impairment. In conversation, Sonia would say a few words and then space out, taking an inordinately long time to complete a thought. After the first session with me, Sonia had an adverse reaction, but she called a few days later, feeling that the session had helped her and wanting to continue. As she continued to work with me, Sonia became much more lucid; she was able to speak articulately and sounded normal.

Meditation for TBI and Stroke

In my mid-twenties, I found myself reenacting the traumas of my childhood and adolescence in my intimate relationships. Yet, I had an instinctive sense that I needed to breathe softly and deeply while fully immersing my awareness in the depths of those all-consuming emotions. This led me to develop a whole series of intensive meditation practices to awaken the innate healing intelligence within the body and mind. These practices were designed to address not only my own needs but also the needs of the many individuals I have worked with over the years, including those suffering from TBIs or stroke.

I find that most people in our modern-day world are not all that grounded in their bodies. For this reason, when I'm guiding people through the various meditation practices, I primarily have them bring their awareness to the feelings and sensations they experience in their torso, anywhere between their throat and pelvis. Getting people connected with their emotions and grounded in their bodies is a crucial part of healing deep emotional wounds and developing the capacities that enable them to become more highly functional. However, when working with individuals suffering from TBI or stroke, I have them focus their attention primarily on the physical sensations they're experiencing in their head and, more specifically, in their brain.

The range of sensations experienced within the brains of people suffering from TBI or stroke varies widely, depending on the severity, location, and nature of the injury. Some common sensations reported include pressure or tightness in specific areas of the brain. Parts of the brain can feel numb or deadened, as if they are not functioning. Fatigue or heaviness in the brain are also common, which can result from reduced functionality of neurons in the affected area. Some individuals experience what feels like an electrical malfunction, such as sudden zaps, tingles, or jolts, which can be related to nerve damage or misfiring neurons. Pulsing and throbbing sensations are also commonly reported. Additionally, heightened sensitivity can create a sense of being overwhelmed or overstimulated.

Whenever I'm working with individuals suffering from TBI or stroke, I usually have them breathing softly and deeply while focusing their awareness in the specific areas of injury or damage where they are experiencing sensations of heaviness, numbing, deadness or what feels like an electrical malfunction.

I always proceed cautiously at the beginning, at least long enough to determine how each individual will respond. I usually have the individual focus their awareness in the areas of injury for no more than five minutes, and sometimes for only two or three minutes. If I see they are responding well, I'll have them continue to immerse their awareness in the specific area(s) of injury for ten minutes or longer, intermittently checking and adjusting the duration. When the sensations are more acute, such as pain or electrical sensations, I proceed more cautiously, often limiting the focus to two or three minutes at a time.

Breathing softly and deeply while fully immersing one's awareness in the depths of the physical sensations within the brain engages the body-mind's innate healing intelligence. This is the same innate body-mind intelligence that facilitates the healing of injuries when you get a cut or bruise. In this case, the body's healing intelligence begins to facilitate some degree of repair within the brain itself.

We all use a very limited amount of our “neuro-real estate.” Some areas of the brain may heal, while others may be damaged beyond repair. Yet, there are other areas of the brain that can be utilized to compensate for the loss of areas that have sustained damage. This essentially amounts to taking advantage of the brain's capacity for neuroplasticity, making use of different neuropathways, or developing completely new neuropathways in the process of regaining various functions that were impaired as a result of the TBI or stroke, and to improve cognitive and physical functions.

Boosting Cognitive Function

As we age, our brains naturally change, leading to a reduction in volume, especially in the frontal cortex. This process, combined with the aging of our blood vessels and potential increases in blood pressure, raises the risk of stroke and ischemia.

However, meditation offers a promising countermeasure to these age-related changes. Studies, including those involving Buddhist monks, have demonstrated that regular meditation can stimulate brain development and slow down cortical decline. MRI scans reveal increased gray matter in the hippocampus from meditation, crucial for learning, memory, and emotional regulation. Similarly, the temporo-parietal junction, important for perspective, empathy, and compassion, also shows gray matter increase. On the other hand, a decrease in gray matter in the amygdala, associated with stress response, correlates with reduced stress levels. These findings highlight meditation's potential in maintaining brain health and cognitive function as we age.

Everyone's experience of working with this practice is unique. Those who have suffered from TBI, stroke, meningitis, migraines, and other afflictions that impact the brain will experience some of the uncomfortable sensations, such as pressure, heaviness, and numbness, that I mentioned previously in this article. When I focus my awareness within the brain, I tend to experience tingling sensations in my head and face, and at times in my hands. I will often spend around two hours in one sitting in practice, and yet, time seems to pass quickly. I can also feel a sense of lightness. Conversely, when I shift my awareness to my chest cavity or abdomen, I find myself accessing more of the emotions held within these parts of my body.

I can't help but notice when I do meditation practice that it's engaging the deeper problem-solving capabilities in my mind. I also find that meditation bridges the gap between my conscious and subconscious mind. I'm always coming up with workable solutions to the many challenges I face, often getting flashes of insight that show me what I need to do to resolve an issue or what I need to say in response to a conversation or email. The added mental clarity is especially helpful whenever I sit down to write.

If you feel inspired by this practice, as described in the article, don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have. Additionally, we can arrange a session where I can personally guide you through these practices. The most profound results often emerge from in-person sessions, so if you believe I can assist you in your healing journey, please feel free to reach out and schedule a free 30 minute Challenge Resolution Session .