Stroke, or brain attack, has been known about for centuries. Treatment for strokes, however, is relatively new. The most significant breakthroughs are very recent.
Nearly 750,000 Americans have some level of stroke each year; 150,000 of those people will die from the damage done by the stroke. A stroke can be barely noticeable, can cause complete paralysis, or even immediate death. Stroke can be caused by a blood clot (most common) or a burst blood vessel in the brain.
No two strokes are exactly alike. The damage done depends on where in the brain the stroke occurs, how massive it is, and how soon treatment begins.
Early Treatment a Must
When a stroke occurs, it's imperative to start treatment immediately. The longer the time before treatment, the greater the possible damage.
One of the key advances in stroke treatment is an FDA-approved, genetically engineered version of the body's clot-dissolving tissue (tissue plasminogen activator, or t-PA). When used within three hours of the onset of an ischemic (blood clot) stroke, it has proved very successful at dissolving clots in the brain before serious damage can occur.
In some cases, surgery or other methods of removing plaque from arteries is used to reduce the risk of future stroke.
Much improvement occurs during the first 30 days following a stroke and is called spontaneous recovery, where your brain reroutes and reestablishes damaged connections. Complete rehabilitation can be a long and difficult process.
Rehabilitation
A number of factors help determine the extent and success of rehabilitation after a stroke:
- The less damage done by the stroke, the better the prognosis for full or nearly full recovery.
- The attitude of the patient is important – how much effort he or she is willing to put into recovery.
- The skills of the therapists and rehabilitation team make a big difference.
- The cooperation of family and friends is necessary to achieve and maintain improvements.
The major goal of rehabilitation is to help the person who suffered the stroke to improve mental and physical abilities and reduce dependence on medication and caregivers. Old skills might be lost, so retraining is necessary. In some cases, skills such as speech must be improved, walking relearned, and self-feeding reestablished.
When you are confined in bed for a long period of time, muscles weaken, joints stiffen, and the risk of disease increases. Rehabilitation and therapy focus on getting the individual up, mobile, and functioning as normally as possible in the shortest possible time.
Your Life Depends On It
Once treatment begins, your doctor and healthcare team will evaluate, treat, and recommend rehabilitation procedures.
Your life and health depend on following professional recommendations to improve strength and functioning. Your care team will recommend lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of future strokes. This will include physical activity, dietary changes, and regular medical checkups. |
