Women & Stroke

The third leading cause of death for American women is having a stroke. Although stroke is more common in men, more women than men actually die of stroke. Women also have more severe first strokes at an older age than men and remain more disabled.

The Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute treats more stroke patients than any hospital in the state of Florida and has demonstrated improved patient outcomes. The Brain Attack Center at Florida Hospital has a full continuum of care ranging from specialized emergency treatment, advanced surgical techniques, innovative interventional neuroradiology procedures, and specialized nursing and rehabilitative care available to stroke patients at Florida Hospital.

Warning signs of stoke may include:

• Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body
• Slurred or loss of speech
• Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
• Sudden, sever headaches with no known cause
• Unexplained dizziness, sudden falls or unsteadiness, especially along with any of the previous symptoms

There are several proactive steps that can decrease your risk of stroke:

• Lowering your blood pressure
• Not smoking
• Managing your diabetes
• Lowering your cholesterol
• Consuming 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily
• Increasing your physical activity

Women today play many roles such as, mom, employee, carpool driver, sports fan and wife. Stress may be an inherent part of a daily routine, but it becomes threatening when it starts affecting your body, specifically in your lower back. The lower back connects your upper and lower body and bears most of your body’s weight, especially when you lift, reach, or twist.

• Rehabilitation – At the Florida Hospital Rehabilitation Centers, your back pain will be treated with a coordinated series of stretching, strengthening, and low impact aerobic exercises.
• Pain Medicine – At the Florida Hospital Pain Medicine Centers, your pain will be treated through comprehensive treatment plans utilizing integrated spinal injections, disk and nerve stimulation, and other therapies.
• Surgical Intervention – At the Florida Hospital Neuroscience Institute, surgeons perform more than 1,300 spine cases each year, ranging from complex spine surgery, like artificial disk replacements and spinal fusions, to more minimally invasive approaches, like kyphoplasty.

A number of free seminars and lectures, given by Florida Hospital Neurosurgeons, are available to educate women about back pain. To learn more, click here. (link to screenings and seminars section)

More than 12 million Americans are affected by serious sleep disorders. Due to various factors, women are twice as likely as men to have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep.

Factors affecting sleep in women include:

• Changes in hormonal levels
• Illness
• Medications
• Lifestyle and sleep environment
• Stress
• Pregnancy

The Florida Hospital Center for Sleep Disorders has been conducting sleep studies since 1987 and meets the highest standards of diagnostic testing and treatment for sleep disorders.

A number of free seminars and lectures, given by Florida Hospital Sleep Medicine Physicians, are available to educate women about sleep disorders. To receive information on Florida Hospital's Sleep Disorder program click here.