One of the most common disabilities resulting from stroke is paralysis or the inability of a muscles or group muscles to move. The movement of the muscles is triggered by the messages sent from the brain which controls it.
The exchange of instructions between the brain and the muscles may get affected as a result of the stroke as a part of the brain stops its functions. When the blood flow to the brain is interrupted, it causes a medical emergency known as stroke paralysis and this is a common stroke definition.
In most cases, stroke paralysis affects the opposite side where the brain is damaged due to stroke and any part of the body can be affected by it. The immediate fallout for 90% of stroke-affected people is paralysis of some degree.
Fortunately, through paralysis stroke physiotherapy, medication and stroke recovery exercises it is possible to recuperate from the condition and regain body movements.
These are three common types of stroke attacks that can result in stroke paralysis:
- Transient ischemic attack: This type of stroke is known as a warning or a mini-stroke by doctors. When a temporary stoppage of blood flow to the brain occurs, it causes a TIA (Transient ischemic attack). Since this is temporary, the condition and its symptoms last for a short duration only.
- Ischemic stroke: When a blood clot prevents blood flow to the brain, it causes an ischemic stroke. The blood clot is often the result of the accumulation of fat deposits on the inside of a blood vessel which is known as atherosclerosis. In this condition, the fat deposits break off and stop the blood flow to the brain. This kind of stroke is embolic where the blood clot moves from one part of the body to another, which happens due to irregular beating of the heart. In this case, stroke treatment is needed to cure the condition unlike a transient ischemic attack which will go away without treatment.
- Haemorrhagic stroke: This stroke happens when a blood vessel bursts or ruptures inside the brain and covers the brain tissues with blood. Haemorrhagic stroke is further divided into the following three types:
- Aneurysm: This causes a weak portion of the blood vessel to flare up and at times, rupture too.
- Arteriovenous malformation: In this type, abnormally formed blood vessels can get ruptured and cause a haemorrhagic stroke.
- Bleeding in the brain: Due to high blood pressure, tiny blood vessels can get weakened and thus result in bleeding in the brain.
It is important to pay attention to the following signs and symptoms when they occur with you or with someone else. By doing so, medical attention can be availed at the right time and stroke paralysis treatment can be more effective.
- Headache: Watch out for a severe and sudden headache that is followed by bouts of dizziness, vomiting or intermittent unconsciousness. This could indicate that the person is on the verge of a stroke and paralysis could follow.
- Speech trouble: Stroke paralysis may begin with experiencing confusion, slurring of words and difficulty in understanding instructions.
- Numbness in body parts: Weakness or numbness in the arms, legs or face is a prominent symptom of stroke paralysis. It could happen to one arm or leg of the same side and it will be difficult to speak or smile.
Apart from focussing on how to cure stroke paralysis, it is also important to prevent it from occurring. This implies the prevention of stroke which can be done through the following steps:
- Know your risk factors of getting a stroke
- Follow doctor’s instructions without fail
- Adopt a healthy and active lifestyle
- Controlling blood pressure
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Lowering the amount of cholesterol in your diet
It is common to be worried about the duration of paralysis after a stroke but there cannot be a standard answer to it. Just as every stroke is different, every stroke paralysis recovery will be different too and will vary from person to person.
It will depend on the kind of stroke treatment carried out and the patient’s response to it. Two factors are important in this case, the severity of side effects of stroke and the effort the patient is willing to put in.
Through proper stroke rehabilitation, some patients may see improvements within 6 months, while others will take longer. The key however, is to remain focused and carry out with the recommended mental and physical exercise for stroke patients with paralysis.
Physiotherapy from experienced professionals forms a critical part of the cure for stroke paralysis. Through regular physiotherapy treatment, the patient can make body movements as the muscle tone can be improved.
After a stroke when paralysis strikes, it is important to get the person mobile at the earliest. The right kind of exercises for stroke paralysis when performed under the guidance of our expert physiotherapists can strengthen the muscles and prove to be invaluable under these circumstances.
Since we provide physiotherapy for stroke patients at home, our supervision ensures that there are no complications due to incorrect methods.
