Stroke Rehabilitation

The most important way to improve outcome is to limit the damage the stroke causes. This requires rapid medical treatment which is why it is critical that a stroke victim seeks immediate medical attention. Immediately after a stroke several measures can... Full Answer

Some people who've had a stroke can return home after a few days in the hospital. Others will not get home for many weeks if they need treatment in a rehabilitation facility. A few stroke survivors require long-term nursing care. For most people who have... Full Answer

Virtual reality environments allow stroke survivors to practice newly regained skills with the visual feedback of real-world situations, while remaining in a safe and controlled environment. For example, a patient wears a visual device that simulates a... Full Answer

Just as the range of disability following stroke varies widely, so will rehabilitation needs. Rehabilitation begins in the hospital with an assessment of your needs and some basic therapy. The assessment is a survey of your impairments. Are you able to... Full Answer

One promising technique for people with moderate weakness in one arm following a stroke is constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), which involves not just exercising the weak arm but also restraining the stronger arm to force the other one to work... Full Answer

Your exercise regimen during stroke rehabilitation will depend on your specific type of disability and may include some or all of the following: walking on a treadmill, walking up or down stairs, using hand or leg weights, and repeatedly bending and... Full Answer

Large stroke rehabilitation programs are increasingly using intensive repetitive therapy to aid stroke recovery. Moving patients' limbs to simulate natural arm and leg movements may help to restore neurological pathways as it strengthens muscles and... Full Answer

With at-home stroke rehabilitation, a rehabilitation specialist from a home health agency may come to your home for a set number of hours and days on a short-term basis. Home rehabilitation can address physical impairments and speech and language... Full Answer

A physiatrist is a physician who specializes in physical medicine and stroke rehabilitation. A physiatrist often supervises a team of nurses and therapists to come up with a rehabilitation plan and helps evaluate whether the plan is working. Full Answer

Stroke can disrupt cognitive abilities, including memory, learning, and awareness. Cognitive rehabilitation is a type of therapy that uses strategies to compensate for lost abilities, rather than to recover them. If you have short-term memory loss, for... Full Answer