Can Aphasia Be Prevented?

If you have aphasia, you might be wondering if you could have done something to prevent it. There is no effective way to prevent aphasia. Aphasia is most often the result of a stroke or another brain injury. Although there are steps you can take to reduce your risk of having a stroke (or another stroke, if you’ve already had one), there is no 100% effective way to prevent a stroke. Some people have strokes due to reasons that are out of their control and could not have been prevented. Aphasia as the result of a stroke or brain injury cannot be prevented – it just depends on where in the brain the stroke or injury occurred. Somewhere between 25-40% of people who have a stroke will experience aphasia following the stroke. However, the people who have strokes but do not have aphasia did not do anything differently to prevent aphasia. They simply experienced a stroke in a different part of their brain. People with aphasia most often have damage to the left side of the brain, where the brain’s language centers are for most people. If you’d like information on reducing your risk of stroke, ask your doctor for personalized recommendations. Your doctor can talk to you about your medical history and lifestyle factors.

Common Recommendations to Prevent Stroke and Aphasia

• Exercise, according to your doctor’s recommendations
• Eat healthy, including cutting back on sodium (salt)
• If you smoke, quit
• Maintain a healthy weight

Additionally, be sure to monitor your cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels. Make sure they are in a normal range and if not, ask your doctor how to lower them.