Every stroke is different, and each person’s recovery path will vary. However, the best way to treat stroke side effects and reduce your risk of another stroke is with rehabilitation.
This can begin in hospital, on a specialist stroke unit or medical ward, and may then continue at home with therapy appointments or at a rehabilitation clinic in your community.
Physical Therapy
The physical therapist (PT) is the health care professional who helps reduce pain and improve movement after an injury or stroke. The PT uses methods like massage, electrical stimulation, hot and cold therapy, and manual therapeutic techniques to help strengthen muscles, relieve pain, and increase range of motion. The therapist works closely with you to set goals and develop a treatment plan, which may include exercise or other hands-on treatments that target the symptoms of your condition.
Most people seek PT for musculoskeletal problems, such as sports injuries or other orthopedic conditions. But it is also possible to receive PT for neurological issues, such as cerebral palsy or Parkinson’s disease. Depending on your condition and what caused it, your PT might recommend specific exercises to strengthen muscles and joints, or they might use other methods like joint mobilization or deep tissue massage.
In addition to helping you overcome a current health issue, physical therapy can also improve your quality of life by improving balance and mobility. It can even lower your risk of falls, as PT often includes exercises that help you stand and walk better. It’s important to check with your doctor or insurance provider before pursuing any type of physical therapy. They should be able to provide you with a list of qualified providers and explain your coverage options, including any co-pays you might be responsible for.
A physical therapist’s career is a field with numerous specialties. For example, a neurological physical therapist can treat patients with disorders that affect the brain and spinal cord, such as Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. These patients might benefit from a specialized approach that can increase limb responsiveness, improve movement patterns, manage tone, improve strength and balance, and promote wound healing.
Other specialized physical therapy includes cardio/pulmonary PT, which can help those with heart or lung conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or cystic fibrosis. Women’s health PT is another specialty that can help patients with pelvic pain and urinary incontinence. Finally, vestibular and balance PT can help those with dizziness or vertigo through a variety of techniques.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy helps stroke patients relearn the skills needed for daily living. It’s a vital part of rehabilitation, and it can be performed at home or in a clinic. A therapist may use techniques such as perceptual training, repetitive activities, and task practice to help patients overcome visual impairments and other challenges.
For many stroke survivors, a stroke can result in a loss of motor control and balance. In addition, some may suffer from a condition called spasticity, which is painful muscle movements or spasms that occur in some parts of the body.
Physical therapy can help stroke patients regain movement, but occupational and speech therapy can also aid recovery. Up to 25 percent of stroke victims develop a condition known as aphasia, in which they have trouble using words or understanding others’ speech. Speech therapy can include exercises that strengthen your tongue, teach you how to pronounce words correctly, and work on sentence structure. It can also include a swallowing test to ensure that you can eat and drink without problems.
Stroke can leave behind some side effects that can impact daily life, including weakness on one side of the body, loss of balance and coordination, incontinence, difficulty walking, and pain. The good news is that continued rehab can yield functional improvements over months and even years.
A therapist can work with you to determine the best treatment plan for your situation. They will consider the severity of your stroke and what you want to accomplish as a patient. Then, they will develop a series of goals and a timeline for your recovery. During this time, they will adjust the goals as necessary.
You will need to commit to the rehabilitation process for up to a year, although you can begin working on recovery before that time. The most significant improvements are typically seen during the first six months following a stroke. Once you’ve finished the rehabilitation program, it’s important to continue with exercise and practice your new skills so that you can maintain them. You should also make sure that you have support at home so that you can continue your progress and prevent any regression.
Speech Therapy
The goal of speech therapy is to help people with speech disorders and impairments communicate effectively. It’s performed by speech-language pathologists, who are often referred to as speech therapists. The techniques used depend on the type of speech disorder or impairment. Children with developmental speech delays may participate in language activities or in small groups, whereas adults with dysarthria, aphasia, and other disorders due to an illness or stroke can benefit from articulation therapy and other speech techniques.
Speech therapy can also help those with swallowing problems (dysphagia) or a voice disorder, such as vocal cord dysfunction or laryngeal cancer. In cases of swallowing disorders, a speech therapist can monitor how well you’re able to transport food from your mouth to your throat by watching the movements of your jaw and throat area through a computerized monitor that uses X-ray technology.
You can receive virtual speech therapy through Better Speech, which evaluates your child from the comfort of your home. The therapist will conduct the evaluation just like an in-person session and then create a personalized program to fit your child’s speech goals. This virtual approach to speech therapy is a cost-effective alternative to in-person treatment, and it’s also an excellent option for families with limited resources or time restrictions.
In addition to helping those with speech and language disorders, SLPs foster development of social communication skills and help them return to their normal daily routines — whether it’s playing with friends or forging relationships as part of autism therapy or working in a job after a brain injury. They can use videos, role play, specific therapy apps and other tools to help patients develop appropriate pragmatic and social skills.
SLPs also work with those who have severe expressive and/or receptive language impairments due to autism, progressive neurological disorders or other conditions. They can teach them to use visual communication, such as picture boards and/or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to convey their thoughts, needs and wants. They can even find ways for those with no functional speech to communicate, such as a special device that recognizes eye movement and allows people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis’s (ALS) to tell loved ones what they want or need by pointing to pictures on a screen.
Psychotherapy
If you’re having a stroke, it can be frightening. But it’s important to understand that the recovery process is normal and that rehabilitation can help you recover the abilities you’ve lost. Your rehab may take place in the hospital, a rehabilitation center where you stay overnight, or at home. Whatever the setting, a team of specialists will help you. Physical therapists will guide you through exercises that improve movement and coordination, occupational therapists will teach you to perform everyday tasks again and provide equipment such as wheelchairs or walkers, and speech-language pathologists will address any swallowing or speaking problems. Psychologists or social workers may also be part of your team to help deal with any emotional problems you may be having.
Rehabilitation starts as soon as you’re stabilized and ready to begin therapy, usually within 24 hours of your stroke. A physiotherapist will assess how the stroke has affected your body, and develop a treatment plan for you. This will include exercise to strengthen your muscles and improve your balance and co-ordination, and may also include techniques such as constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), where a physical therapist restricts your use of the unaffected arm or leg to encourage you to practice skills with your weaker limb. Treadmill work is common for people who have had a stroke in their legs, and your therapist will also likely prescribe brain exercises and electrical stimulation to help you regain motor control and speed up your recovery.
During your rehab, your doctor will monitor your progress and make any necessary adjustments to your care program. This might include medication to prevent a second stroke, or changes to your diet and lifestyle to lower your risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, which are all linked to increased chances of having another stroke.
You’ll also receive psychological support from family members, friends, and a mental healthcare professional. This is because depression and anxiety are common side effects of stroke. Joining a patient support group may also be helpful, as it can be an opportunity to talk about your experiences with others in similar situations.
