Recovering after stroke

Mar 20, 2023 | Uncategorized

A stroke happens when blood flow to any part of the brain stops.

Each person has a different recovery time and need for long-term care. Problems with moving, thinking, and talking often improve in the first weeks or months after a stroke. Some people will keep improving months or years after a stroke. Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of recovery after a stroke.

Recovering from stroke: stroke rehabilitation

Rehabilitation after a stroke begins in the hospital, often within a day or 2 after the stroke. Rehab helps ease the transition from hospital to home and can help prevent another stroke.

 Rehab can include working with speech, physical, and occupational therapists. 

  • Speech therapy helps people who have problems producing or understanding speech.
  • Physical therapy uses exercises to help you relearn movement and coordination skills you may have lost because of the stroke.
  • Occupational therapy focuses on improving daily activities, such as eating, drinking, dressing, bathing, reading, and writing.

Your rehabilitation plan will depend on the part of the body or type of ability affected by your stroke.

Physical activities might include:

  • Motor-skill exercises. Exercises can help improve muscle strength and coordination throughout the body.
  • Mobility training. You might learn to use mobility aids, such as a walker, canes, wheelchair or ankle brace.
  • Constraint-induced therapy. An unaffected limb is restrained while you practice moving the affected limb to help improve its function.

Cognitive and emotional activities might include:

  • Therapy for cognitive disorders. Occupational therapy and speech therapy can help you with lost cognitive abilities, such as memory, processing, problem-solving, social skills, judgment and safety awareness.
  • Therapy for communication disorders. Speech therapy can help you regain lost abilities in speaking, listening, writing and comprehension.
  • Psychological evaluation and treatment. Your emotional adjustment might be tested. You might also have counseling or participate in a support group.
  • Medication. Your doctor might recommend an antidepressant or a medication that affects alertness, agitation or movement.

How long does stroke rehabilitation last?

How long you need stroke rehabilitation depends on the severity of your stroke and related complications. Some stroke survivors recover quickly. But most need some form of long-term stroke rehabilitation. This could last for possibly months or years after their stroke.

Your stroke rehabilitation plan will change during your recovery as you relearn skills and your needs change. With ongoing practice, you can continue to make gains over time.

The Transformative Benefits of Speech Therapy

 Unleashing the Power of Communication: The Transformative Benefits of Speech Therapy for Adults and Children Introduction: Communication is an essential part of human interaction, shaping our relationships, personal growth, and professional success. However, for some...

American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health.

American Heart Month is a wonderful opportunity to focus our attention on ways to promote and maintain heart health. Since 1963, American Heart Month has been celebrated as a way to educate Americans to join the battle against heart disease.

Importance Of Physical Therapy After Surgery

It is essential you know that life immediately after surgery is not instant bliss. The success of your treatment depends on what you do during your post-op recovery period. Physical therapy is often recommended – and there’s a good reason why. It works.

Give the Gift of Sight Month

Gift Of Sight month has been designed to help and raise awareness regarding the importance of eye health. A lot of people realize that routine yearly physicals are imperative in terms of detecting or preventing a lot of conditions. However, very few people appreciate just how important a yearly eye exam is when it comes to preventing disorders and diagnosing diseases at the earliest stage. 

National Physical Therapy Month

National Physical Therapy Month occurs each October. The American Physical Therapy Association uses the month to raise awareness for the benefits of physical therapy.  It’s also a time to celebrate the wonderful work done by health professionals to restore and maintain function, and improve people’s lives without using potentially harmful and addictive medication. According to the APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) PT is “the safer way to manage pain.”

National Suicide Prevention Week

Importance of Physical Therapy for Senior

Elderly physical therapy combines a combination of approaches including stretching, walking, massage, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and electrical stimulation among others.

MEN’S HEALTH MONTH

Speech Therapy