“What treatments help stroke patients recover?”
My friend had a stroke. What treatments help stroke patients recover?
1 Answer
Neurologist|NeuromusculoskeletalMedicine&OMMNeurologicDiseases
Dr. Ivan Edwards
Physiatrist (Physical Medicine) | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
San Antonio, TX, TX
Stroke rehabilitation is an important part of recovery after a stroke. It involves a program of different therapies designed to help patients relearn skills lost after a stroke. Here are some of the treatments that can help stroke patients recover:
a) Motor-skill exercises: These exercises can help improve muscle strengthening in areas of mobility, gait, and swallowing - areas in which strokes impair those functions.
b) Mobility training/facilitation: Patients could require aids, such as canes, wheelchairs and braces to effect functional mobility.
c) Constraint-induced therapy: Patients could be compelled to use the paretic side versus the non-paretic side in order to promote recovery.
d) Range-of-motion therapy: Patients would move the affected parts of the body to counter the risks of getting contractures due to immobility.
e) Functional electrical stimulation: Electricity is applied to weakened muscles, causing them to contract, part of "reawakening the affected muscles."
f) Robotic technology: Robotic devices can assist impaired limbs with performing repetitive motions, helping the limbs regain strength and function.
g) Virtual reality: The use of video games and other computer-based therapies to improve coordination, gross and fine motor skills.
h) Therapy for cognitive symptoms: Occupational therapy and speech therapy to help with affected memory, thought-processing, problem-solving, social skills, judgment, and safety awareness - which can be impacted by a stroke.
i) Antidepressant medications: To help with patients' thoughts that "all is over and that there is no hope."
j) Nutritional supplementation: Proper nutrition can support the body’s healing process, tissue renewal, and new cell formation.
It’s important to note that the specific treatments used can depend on the parts of the brain affected by the stroke and the type of abilities affected. Rehabilitation is not pigeon-holed. Therefore, each patient’s rehabilitation plan will be unique to their needs. It’s also been found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don’t have stroke rehabilitation. Thus, stroke rehabilitation is recommended for all people affected by stroke.
Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/in-depth/stroke-rehabilitation/art-20045172
a) Motor-skill exercises: These exercises can help improve muscle strengthening in areas of mobility, gait, and swallowing - areas in which strokes impair those functions.
b) Mobility training/facilitation: Patients could require aids, such as canes, wheelchairs and braces to effect functional mobility.
c) Constraint-induced therapy: Patients could be compelled to use the paretic side versus the non-paretic side in order to promote recovery.
d) Range-of-motion therapy: Patients would move the affected parts of the body to counter the risks of getting contractures due to immobility.
e) Functional electrical stimulation: Electricity is applied to weakened muscles, causing them to contract, part of "reawakening the affected muscles."
f) Robotic technology: Robotic devices can assist impaired limbs with performing repetitive motions, helping the limbs regain strength and function.
g) Virtual reality: The use of video games and other computer-based therapies to improve coordination, gross and fine motor skills.
h) Therapy for cognitive symptoms: Occupational therapy and speech therapy to help with affected memory, thought-processing, problem-solving, social skills, judgment, and safety awareness - which can be impacted by a stroke.
i) Antidepressant medications: To help with patients' thoughts that "all is over and that there is no hope."
j) Nutritional supplementation: Proper nutrition can support the body’s healing process, tissue renewal, and new cell formation.
It’s important to note that the specific treatments used can depend on the parts of the brain affected by the stroke and the type of abilities affected. Rehabilitation is not pigeon-holed. Therefore, each patient’s rehabilitation plan will be unique to their needs. It’s also been found that people who participate in a focused stroke rehabilitation program perform better than most people who don’t have stroke rehabilitation. Thus, stroke rehabilitation is recommended for all people affected by stroke.
Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/in-depth/stroke-rehabilitation/art-20045172