Posted 1 day ago,
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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
This is a rumor that has persisted for several years and is the subject of viral publications on the social network Facebook. She advocates a particular method from Chinese medicine to save a stroke victim: prick her ten fingers with a needle. Besides being totally false, this belief can be dangerous. Update on the question with Dr. Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
It’s the kind of post that spreads like wildfire and comes back regularly. She gives a health “tip” that “everyone should know”: in the presence of a person having a stroke, “you have to prick the tops of all ten fingers of the victim to make them bleed and they will come back to life“. Already denied in 2020 by AFP, this fake news is spreading more particularly in different African countries, such as Kenya, Ghana or Nigeria.
A false and dangerous rumor
This idea of ”treatment” is inspired by Chinese medicine. But it is totally false. As part of a stroke, you need to know the main signs so that if a person is a victim in front of you, prevent help as quickly as possible. As confirmed by Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency physician and medical director of Doctissimo: “It’s a race against time that starts in the event of a stroke, you have to do the 15 or 18 in an emergency“.
The signs to recognize
To know if a person has a stroke? There are a few big signs to be aware of:
- The victim may experience numbness or drooping of the face and mouth sometimes or only on one side of the body (arm or leg);
- She may become confused, having trouble understanding what is being said to her;
- She may suddenly have difficulty speaking or walking, with dizziness and loss of balance;
- She may experience a severe headache of unknown origin or faint and lose consciousness.
“When you notice one or more of these signs, there is not a second to lose, you must call the emergency services.” insists Dr Gérald Kierzek again. “And this even if they are transient, when it is a TIA, a transient ischemic attack, and the person recovers his faculties a few minutes later”.
Consult a cardiologist online
A loss of chance
This type of publication can harm stroke victims, because every minute that passes, a million neurons die in the brain. In addition, if the injections performed are not made with sterile needles, there is a risk of infection for the victim. In short, in the event of a stroke or suspicion, you must call the emergency services, it is the only reflex that will serve the victim, limit their consequences and potentially prevent them from dying.
“Chinese medicine is very good but not for emergencies” summarizes Dr. Kierzek. Recall that strokes are the second leading cause of death in the world among people over 60, according to the World Health Organization and that one in six people will have one during their lifetime.