All strokes damage the brain by disrupting circulation, but strokes come in multiple varieties. Because different parts of the brain are specialized to perform specific functions, symptoms produced by strokes vary according to what part of the brain was injured. In one patient the symptom might be weakness on one side of the body. In another it might be a partial loss of vision. In still another, a loss of speech. And symptoms can vary in intensity from mild to severe according to how large the area of damage is and whether it occurred in a pivotal location.

Strokes can also vary according to another fundamental difference — whether they involve a blocked blood vessel or a hemorrhage. Most strokes are due to the former in which brain-tissue damaged by lack of circulation is called an infarction. But 10-15 of strokes involve bleeding from ruptured blood vessels within the brain tissue, and while it’s bad enough to have an infarction, hemorrhagic strokes intracerebral hemorrhages can be even more devastating.

One prominent figure with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage is Ariel Sharon, whose hemorrhagic stroke occurred while he was still prime minister of Israel. Although some patients with intracerebral hemorrhage recover to a point of being able to enjoy other people and regain some independence in functioning, Sharon’s poor clinical outcome is all too common in patients with this disease.

The additional problem with hemorrhagic strokes is that the new deposit of blood occupies space — sometimes a lot of it — and there is only so much space within the skull braincase to go around. The fresh hemorrhage crowds and distorts the brain-tissue next to it, and additionally subjects the rest of the brain to increased pressure that can itself be damaging. Because of these distortions and pressure-changes, a patient with intracerebral hemorrhage often shows a decreased level of consciousness or even coma.

Another kind of spontaneous bleed within the braincase is subarachnoid hemorrhage, often caused by ruptured aneurysms outside the brain but inside the braincase. While this, too, is a very serious condition, it is not the focus of this particular essay, and spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhages are not caused by aneurysms of this kind. Yet another kind of bleed that can be confused with primary intracerebral hemorrhage is secondary hemorrhage. This occurs in some patients who started out with infarctions of the brain but who had subsequent bleeding from fragile blood-vessels around the infarction’s edges. This kind of bleed is not quite as serious as that which occurs when the bleed is primary the initial event.

How are intracerebral hemorrhages diagnosed? Since the 1970s when computed tomographic CT scans were introduced, this imaging technique has been the most effective and sensitive tool. A fresh hemorrhage within brain tissue is dramatically evident on CT scans. And unlike infarctions that can take a day or two to show up on CT scans, hemorrhages are already visible at the earliest moment a scan can be made.

Although surgical removal of blood-clots from the surface of the brain — called subdural and epidural hematomas — can be life-saving and function-sparing, surgery for a bleed hematoma or blood-clot within the brain tissue itself is another story. Some studies comparing outcome between operated and unoperated patients with intracerebral hemorrhage showed improved outcome, on average, for operated patients, while still others showed worsened outcome. Operated or unoperated, patients had high rates of death and disability.

Because of the limited prospects for meaningful improvement, surgery for intracerebral hemorrhage is often an act of desperation. One crusty old clinician was blunt about the direness of the situation, saying, “Show me a patient with intracerebral hemorrhage whose life was saved by surgery, and I’ll show you a patient you wish you hadn’t operated on.” His point was that survivors of this operation usually show severe impairments.

However, one form of hemorrhage within brain tissue is probably a special case, and that is hemorrhage within the cerebellum, located within the bony braincase just above the nape of the neck. Surgical extraction of blood clots occurring within the cerebellum prevents excessive pressure on the nearby brainstem that handles a lot of basic and necessary functions, like breathing.

Administration of cortisol-type steroids is a nonsurgical treatment that has been studied in a scientific way, comparing treated patients to untreated patients with the same condition. The steroids didn’t help. Decreasing the patients’ blood pressures by administering medication has likewise been studied, but with the same outcome — no benefit. However, in a preliminary study one nonsurgical treatment showed promise. Intravenous administration of activated factor VII a natural component of the blood-clotting system reduced expansion of the intracerebral blood-clot, death and disability when given within four hours of the initial hemorrhage. A larger study is underway to see if this benefit holds up under further analysis.

Otherwise, what can be done acutely for this condition? Individualizing treatment seems rational, even if unproved. For example, if the patient had a bleed while taking a blood-thinner as was the case with Ariel Sharon then it makes sense to stop the blood-thinner or reverse its effects. Supportive management, like administering intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration, monitoring for irregular heartbeats and protecting the patient’s airway also make sense. If the patient can’t consume food in the usual way, feeding through tubes or intravenous lines can be considered, though this decision can be postponed until the patient’s prospects are more apparent.

Who is at risk for intracerebral hemorrhage? Neurologists at Malmo University Hospital in Malmo, Sweden, compared 147 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage with 1029 similar but stroke-free patients in order to determine risk factors. They found that hypertension high blood pressure, diabetes, elevated triglyceride levels in the bloodstream, history of psychiatric problems, smoking and surprisingly short stature were more frequent in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

However, when it comes to modifiable risk-factors those that one can do something about a variety of studies indicate that hypertension is the single most important factor. Thus, treatment of hypertension, when present, is probably the single most effective thing that one can do in order to prevent this disease.

C 2006 by Gary Cordingley

A human life is a priceless gift of God. The Lord does not have a greater gift than this to give his beloved creatures. Its specialties and potentials are so extraordinary that its results can only amaze us. This gift has been given to us to fulfill divine goals. But it is our ill-fate that we have forgotten our divine nature, Gods gift and the goal importance of a human life. Neither do we know our divine potential, nor the Lords goal, wisdom or meditation. We are straying far away in this dark, gloomy world. This forgetfulness is strange. People generally forget objects and also what they have read, heard etc. A person whom we had known in the past is now a stranger for us, since we have forgotten him. But it is rare to find a person who forgets himself. We think ourselves to be a body with name and form. We desire what our mind desires, we look upon the bodys needs as our own need. The body and mind are the 2 wheels of the chariot of our life. But we have totally forgotten that we are the soul and not the body. No doubt we hear time and again that the body is different from the soul. But it is very rare that someone actually experiences this fact. And even if we experience it, it is in a very hazy manner. If we understand true reality and the difference between the life-force and peripherals that manifests in our consciousness, we will give prime importance to soul well-being. We would give only that much importance to material objects as is required. Today we are walking with feet devoid of shoes and decorate our cars with frills of gold. We are dying of hunger and give clarified butter to vehicles. We means the soul and vehicle means body or mind. The Lord is serving his servants. It is indeed strange that he has forgotten his responsibility.

ATTAINING THE SOULS GOAL

The goal of life is to attain self-fulfillment. This self-fulfilled state can only be at the level of divinity. In order to attain God, the mind should get concentrated on him. Before constructing important buildings, their maps, plans and models are designed. An engineer, architect etc. will build buildings based on these models. An image of God with his qualities, activities and nature is carried out for the purpose of meditation. As a result one experiences nearness, oneness and a sense of merging of God. This is the true nature of meditation.

The goal of true meditation is to regain our lost memory regarding our real nature. If someone happens to regain it, it is definitely akin to a man coming out of a very scary dream. It is only then that one experiences a condition akin to a child being lost in a massive crowd or like that of a man who has lost the memory of his identity. Those undergoing such anguish, experience a great loss and they hurt their near and dear ones. Since we have lost our memory that we are the mighty soul and not the body, our condition is as demeaning as a baby lion being brought up in a family of goats. As a result we are giving pain to our true nature, which is divinity.

The goal of Yoga of meditation is to overcome loss of memory i.e. to awaken to the fact that we are the soul and not the body. In that one remembers God and one experiences ones soul nature. The memory of the union of a living being Jiva and God Brahman is re-activated and one experiences, that this very Divine Power contact was broken by us, is in reality our Divine Mother and Benefactor. Not only this but like the proverbial wish-fulfilling cow Kamadhenu, it is so powerful that by drinking its nectarine milk, we attain divinity. By sitting in the shade of a wish-fulfilling tree Kalpavriksha one can attain anything. After contacting, coming close to that Divine Centre, one does not lack anything and thus we can overcome all types of poverty. Thus Yoga of Meditation helps us attain this goal.

CONCENTRATION

It is not something great to attain Divine Powers. It should be protected from any type of wastage and should never be misused. The benefits of attaining Divine Powers are encountered when they are gathered in a safe place and that they are utilized only for sacred tasks.

As a result of heat, a lot of water of the oceans gets converted to steam. So much steams rises into the atmosphere from cooking gas, fire etc. All this goes in waste. But in an engine, a little bit of water is converted to steam. This steam is not allowed to stray in the atmosphere and is in fact collected in a tank. Later its energy flow passes out of a small hole and reaches the piston. As a result of this small process, the engine of a train starts functioning. Not only does it move but it runs at a great speed. Its movement is so powerful that it tugs alongwith it many other compartments at a high speed.

If tons of gun powder are spread out on the ground and lit with a match-stick, it will show a little light for a flash of a moment and then get burnt to ashes. This is a total wastage and is of no use to us. But if it is enclosed in a small area of a gun and by pressing the trigger a little, sparks of fire touch the gunpowder, this infinitesimal gunpowder gives amazing results. The bullet runs at a mammoth speed to its target. Wherever it lands, it topples that object. One can thus clearly note the difference between just lighting up tons of gunpowder with a matchstick and on the other hand, lighting up a minute amount of gun powder in a gun.

The rays of sun light are scattered all over the earth. Daily the sun rises and then sets in the evening. This sunlight can give only a little heat and light to us. But if a few sunrays are concentrated on paper using a special lens, the paper starts burning. If it is thrown in a huge jungle, a forest fire ensues which destroys that entire area to ashes.

During Draupadis Swayamvar choosing you own groom, the condition for getting married to her was that the prospective bridegroom should pierce the eye of a bird placed at a distance with an arrow. Dronacharya was helping his students to master this art. Before his students aimed an arrow, Dronacharya would ask them as to what they were seeing. On an average the students would say that are seeing a bird on the tree. As a result Dronacharya would declare that such students would never succeed. When it was Arjuns turn, he answered that I can only see the birds eye and nothing else. Thus Dronacharya declared that Arjun would definitely succeed. Truly at the Swayamvara ceremony of Draupadi, Arjun pierced the eye of the bird with one single arrow and thus got married to Draupadi.

It is said that a flying creature called a buzzing bee catches hold of a caterpillar and continues to buzz in front of it. As a result of continuously hearing the buzz of the bee and visualizing the bees form, the mental state of the caterpillar becomes that of a bee. The caterpillar starts thinking itself to be a buzzing bee. As a result the body of the caterpillar takes the shape of a buzzing bee instead of a grown up butterfly. Zoologists may doubt this but it is a definite fact that whenever man concentrates focuses his mind on a particular name and form, his mind too takes up the name, form and characteristics of that object. As a result of focusing her mind on beauty and youth, a prostitute regains her beauty to a great extent at an advanced age too. On the other hand, many young men and women look aged because their minds are all the time thinking of hardships and dire circumstances. All this is a result of focusing ones mind on a particular good bad thought. This could be intentional or unintentional.

Spiritual concentration means to stop the mind from straying away from its center and that after focusing ones Divine Powers at one central focal point, one should utilize the same for sacred endeavors only. This is called control of mind or focusing of the psyche in spiritual texts. A lot of discussion takes place regarding Yoga of Meditation. It should be surmised as an art of concentrating ones mind. When we hear about it, its success seems mediocre but in reality, it is a great achievement. When one masters this art, man by focusing his scattered conscious energy in one place, utilizes it for some sacred purpose and thus attains amazing success.

Water is filled in dams. But when it is ejected from a small opening, a stream of it flows at break neck speed because of water pressure generated by the dam. This flow has extraordinary energy. Its influence aids the movement of wheels of many machines and as a result these machines start moving. The construction of huge electric powerhouses takes place near gigantic dams. It is very expensive to generate electricity using engines and machines but hydroelectricity is cheaply operated near dams. Near smaller waterfalls, you have water mills. The resultant energy is not due to the stream of water but it is due to its concentration. By focusing a widespread area in a smaller area, you generate power.

The aim of Yoga of Meditation is to concentrate mental thought scattering in one small area of thought. The more an individual succeeds in concentrating his mind, the more his psyche will radiate with power. Like an arrow of word, it is easy for him to attain his goal. If spirituality is his aim, he will advance spiritually and his psyche will radiate with Ridhi-Sidhi or what are called Divine Powers. If the aim is material progress, we will attain this goal too. In whichever appropriate direction this energy is used, it will reap good dividends.

Concentration focusing means overcoming the wasteful scattering of the thought waves of our mind. By obstructing the water flow of a small stream, a dam is created and thus a small pond, lake is created. Then artificial streams are created from this lake which give water to far off arid regions. If this stream were not converted into a dam, it would have lashed at the shores and caused wasteful flooding in surrounding regions. This would lead to material destruction in that region. One should not look upon the thought flow in our mind as less important when compared to a hydroelectricity generator. The power of an electricity powerhouse is limited and can transmit electricity to a very limited region in its vicinity. But this cannot be said about the mind. Its potential of today can be augmented infinite fold in the future. Its area of influence which is today limited to the family and friends will in future encompass the entire world.

Generally people of great authority like scientists, philosophers, artists, scholars, sculptors, authors, managers, leaders etc are like ordinary laymen. Their body is very ordinary and their minds lack a magical wand. Whatever difference one perceives in them alongwith the miracle of their greatness, is a result of their inner special qualities which in turn are related to the focusing capacity of their mind and their steadfastness in reaching the desired goal. Everybody possesses infinite amount of intellectual energy. To the extent that weak brained individuals too have a lot of radiance. The difference only is this that some have activated this radiance and the rest have not done so. Even a very wise person is like a dead corpse when he is in deep sleep. But on waking up, he manifests his intellectual brilliance. This holds true for the brain too. Due to certain circumstances, the intellectual powers of some people remains latent and thus look weak intellectually. But if their intellect is activated with effort, not only will they be as brilliant as other wise people but sometimes they will march ahead of them too.

Everyone knows that many threads unite together to form a strong rope and many broomsticks join together to form a broom. Many drops of water constitute a jugful of water. This example is given to accept the fact that by obstructing the wayward scattering of the intellect, one can focus concentrate ones thought waves at a focal point. One can easily understand that wayward scattering of thoughts in various directions diminishes our mental prowess and that if these thoughts are concentrated at one single point, it will give us miraculous mental strength.

By advancing mental concentration, great scientists, Yogis, philosophers etc. enter the deep ocean called the mind and thus collect priceless jewels. Those who just float on the surface of the sea, attain nothing but those who dive deep into it, attain priceless materials. Superficial thinking is like a wayward blade of grass moving aimlessly here and there. On the other hand focusing ones thought waves at a single point in the psyche via meditation gives miraculous results.