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Understanding Ischemic stroke
Ischemic stroke happens when there is a loss of blood flow to part of the brain because of which the corresponding cells die. This may result in long term disability or even in death. Stroke can also occur due to bleeding in the brain which this blog does not discuss.
Whatever the cause, stroke is a medical emergency and prompt treatment is crucial as early action could reduce brain damage and other complications.
Warning Signs to look out for
Knowing the warning signs and symptoms allows you to take action quickly to avoid severe health consequences. The acronym “FAST” is an easy way to remember the signs of a stroke.
FAST stands for:
F= Face drooping, – Do you find the person’s face drooping or smile uneven?
A= Arm weakness – Is the person unable to raise both arms or does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech difficulty– Is the person’s speech slurred?
T= Time – If you detect the above-mentioned symptoms, it is Time to call the ambulance.
Other symptoms would be sudden confusion and trouble seeing, severe headache, dizziness and loss of balance. Early intervention can help restore near normal functions.
Prevention is better than cure
Smokers have a 2 to 4 times increased stroke risk compared to non-smokers. Managing risk factors such as quitting smoking, controlling lifestyle diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and being physically active is the best way to prevent stroke.
Secondary prevention
A person with stroke has a 43% risk of subsequent stroke over 10 years and therefore long-term risk management is very essential.
People with stroke are affected with mental illness or physical disabilities such as weakness in the limbs that affects day-to-day life activities like walking, climbing stairs, driving, dressing, bathing, and so on. The inability to perform these activities leads to complications such as Muscle Contracture (Permanent damage of the muscle), DVT (formation of clot in the leg), pressure sore (Ulcer) and pain.
As a result, physiotherapy rehabilitation is an excellent technique to manage such complications and improve health conditions.
Restoring functions
With regards to restoring or re-learning the function, it should be understood that we need the basic concept behind physiotherapy for stroke is “Neuroplasticity”.
M.S. Dhoni, for example, had difficulty playing cricket at first, but thanks to continuous learning and practice, he became one of the best players in India. By continuous practice and learning, the brain cells responsible for playing cricket gained more connections and transmission (Neuroplasticity).
The same thing happens in a person affected by stroke with the guidance of a physiotherapist. Continuous practice ensures improvement in their routine activities such as walking, driving, climbing stairs, etc.
Restoring functions after stroke – What is the right time to start physiotherapy?
One piece of good news for stroke patients is that recovery after a stroke is rapid, with a high chance of returning to function. However, one flaw noticed in many stroke patients is that they begin rehabilitation weeks or months after the incident, which is a mistake. According to recent researched evidence, stroke recovery occurs most quickly in the early stages, so rehab should begin within 3 days of the stroke. (See below image from Lancet journal)
What are the types of therapy options available?
Nowfal Mohamed, Senior Physiotherapist, Safeguard Family elaborate regarding the therapy options available for Stroke. He says, “There are numerous therapy methods available, but let’s focus on the most effective techniques.
- Task-oriented or functional training– A physiotherapist utilizes this technique to allow a client to practice tasks and functional activities that they perform in real-life settings. Getting out of a chair, walking, and climbing stairs are examples of such actions.
- Constraint induced movement therapy (CIMT) – is a therapy that focuses on hand and finger functions. It has shown encouraging outcomes in recent years.
- Walking and balance training- Balance training involves practicing activities that challenge balance. Gait training involves activities that help a person relearn how to walk and improve walking patterns. These may include bearing weight on the affected leg, walking on a treadmill, stepping onto a stair, and walking over different surfaces.
Other techniques, such as robotic or virtual reality, body weight support, and electrical, are employed as an adjunct by therapists.”
We, at SafeGuardfamily, provide a comprehensive mini-physio programme @ Home which offers guided support to manage such risk factors. To know more, do reach us at +91 63840 62000.
