Therapy
First and foremost, it is important to remove the thrombus as quickly as possible: high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for strokes, is also controlled by medication. In order to prevent further strokes, the patient is given anticoagulant medication on a permanent basis. In the case of cerebral hemorrhages, for example, surgical interventions are performed to relieve the pressure in the brain.
The acute treatment of a stroke is carried out at a stroke unit set up for this purpose. After the patient has been treated at the stroke unit and his condition is stable again, rehabilitation is initiated. Deficits resulting from a stroke require intensive therapy consisting of various therapeutic measures.
The patient should not only improve his condition and prepare himself for home, but also take prophylactic measures to improve his lifestyle.All this is taught to him in rehab. The patient should learn to lead a healthy lifestyle to minimize risk factors for a stroke.
- This can be achieved by systematic thrombolysis
- Mechanical thrombectomy via catheter
Like a hernia, the brain needs time to relearn and improve lost functions.
For this reason, outpatient care is often connected after rehabilitation. Such outpatient therapies are carried out by physiotherapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy, depending on the symptoms of the patient. Through regular training with the therapists, the condition of the patient should be maintained and improved.
If cells in the brain have already died, they can no longer regenerate. However, surrounding structures in the brain can, to a certain extent, learn and replace these functions. This makes training important for relearning. You can find more comprehensive information on these pages:
- Physiotherapy for a stroke
- Stroke exercises
Consequences
This article may also be of interest to you: “Spasticity after stroke”.
- If the stroke is mild, the deficits can be greatly minimized or disappear completely. Thus, after months, nothing can be seen on the patient.
However, even slight limitations in certain abilities may remain.
- If there is serious damage to the brain, the patient’s condition will also deteriorate. This can go as far as the need for care or a coma. This means that the patient is no longer able to cope with everyday life without outside help. Paralysis of certain extremities, as well as massive speech and thinking problems make it difficult for the patient to take care of himself.
- If the stroke has manifested itself sporadically in a few symptoms, the patient is provided with tools to help him or her to remain as independent as possible.
