Every year, approximately 795,000 Americans experience a stroke, in which brain tissue is destroyed because the blood flowing through a neck or brain blood vessel is blocked, according to the Internet Stroke Center. Because so many stroke patients are left with physical and mental disabilities, stroke rehabilitation has become a highly developed medical field. If you or someone close to you has suffered a stroke, there is likely to be a treatment that may help you.
Stroke Types
Most strokes fall into one of two categories: ischemic or hemorrhagic. In ischemic strokes, a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or fatty deposits. Hemorrhagic strokes take place when a weak area in the wall of a blood vessel tears and blood escapes into surrounding brain tissue. If you suffer a stroke, you may experience mental and physical disabilities caused by the death of the brain tissue that controlled those areas of the body, ranging from paralysis to problems in thinking clearly.
Stroke-Rehab Programs
Depending on the precise disabilities created by the stroke, your rehabilitation team may consist of a rehabilitation specialist known as a physiatrist, a neurologist, a neuropsychologist, a rehabilitation nurse, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech-language pathologist, a vocational therapist, a recreational therapist, a dietitian, a case manager and a social worker. Rehabilitative care for stroke patients may be carried out in hospital inpatient units, hospital outpatient units, nursing facilities, doctors' offices or at home.
Treatment Options
Because strokes are so widespread, hundreds of studies have been done on possible stroke-rehabilitation therapies. According to a 2010 report sponsored by the Canadian Stroke Network, treatments include drugs to prevent blood clots from forming, surgery to repair blood vessel damage and physical therapy for tight or paralyzed muscles. Assistive devices such as canes, crutches, walkers and wheelchairs may be necessary. Other forms of rehab are aerobics and aquatherapy exercise programs, mental imagery exercises and strength training to improve classic stroke symptoms, such as a weakened hand grip.
Choosing a Program
Consult the National Stroke Association's rehabilitation services checklist to help you choose a stroke-rehabilitation program that suits your circumstances. Evaluate a program based on its years in operation -- preferably at least one year; whether it has a full-time physician who specializes in stroke rehabilitation; whether it has a formal system for evaluating the progress made by its patients; and its methods for keeping up with new information on stroke-rehabilitation techniques.
References
- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center: Internet Stroke Center
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Fact Sheet
- National Stroke Association: Rehabilitation Services
- "Stroke"; Effects of exercise on quality of life in stroke survivors; Ming-De Chen Chen, OT, et al.; March 2011
- Evidence-based Review of Stroke Rehabilitation; Robert Teasell, M.D.; September 2010
- Mayo Clinic: Stroke Rehabilitation -- What To Expect As You Recover
