Stroke is a brain condition that happens when blood cannot reach the brain, which leads to the damage of brain cells. A stroke paralysis is an after-effect of a stroke. Depending on the intensity of the stroke and various factors, paralysis in a patient can be partial, on one side, or complete body. The paralysis causes loss of muscle function that impacts speech, mobility, and the ability to carry out daily activities. Below, we will take a deep dive into the condition and understand its causes, symptoms, and recovery process to learn how to cure stroke paralysis effectively.
What Is Stroke Paralysis?
Stroke is an effect of blood flow disruption in the brain and thereby cell damage. While stroke is a medical condition, paralysis is the after-effect. In most cases, the paralysis is partial and affects one side of the body. It is because the brain controls everything in the body, even the movements. When the brain gets trauma due to stroke damage, the signalling mechanism to the muscles gets disrupted, resulting in paralysis. Depending on the intensity of the stroke, paralysis can be temporary or permanent. However, recovery does not happen with stroke treatment, which consists of healing the cause of the stroke. The patient requires rehabilitation support to recover from the paralysis.
Types of Stroke Paralysis
Paralysis caused by stroke can be of four types:
- Left Side Paralysis: It is caused by stroke damage in the right hemisphere of the brain.
- Right-Side Paralysis: Damage and stroke in the left hemisphere impacts the right side of the body and paralyses it.
- Facial Paralysis: In some cases, patients experience partial face paralysis. Sudden weakness on one side of the face, one side of the face drooping, and speech difficulty are some indications of the same.
- Partial or Complete Paralysis: In some critical cases, a patient may experience complete disability, while others may retain functions in certain sections of the body, indicating partial paralysis.
Symptoms of Stroke Paralysis
There are several symptoms of stroke-paralysis. Knowing them can be helpful to identify the issue and seeking urgent medical help. The symptoms vary from person to person depending on the intensity of the stroke and the area of the brain affected:
- Losing control of one side of the body or face, unable to move.
- The muscles of a side may feel too weak or stiff to move.
- Sudden loss of coordination and balance may affect keeping the body stable while walking, standing, or sitting.
- Numbness or tingling sensation in some areas of the body.
- Compromised movement in mouth muscles causes difficulty in speech, eating, and swallowing.
- Signs of slow brain processing include memory loss, confusion, and difficulty processing information.
Causes of Stroke-Paralysis
Strokes of different types and intensity are the causes behind stroke-paralysis. Here is a list of the types of strokes:
- Ischemic Stroke – A Blood clot stops the blood flow, depriving brain cells of oxygen, which causes paralysis.
- Hemorrhagic Stroke – Bleeding in the brain caused by a weak blood vessel rupture adds pressure to the brain, which damages brain tissue, leading to paralysis.
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) – Temporary blocks or disruption in blood flow, also called mini-strokes, are alarming signs of future strokes. These may cause temporary numbness and tingling in a few body parts, muscle stiffness or weakness, or speech issues.
- Brain Stem Stroke – The Brain stem is a sensitive area where any block or bleeding can be fatal to the patient. It can affect the entire body, cause breathing disability, and affect the heart and other organs as well.
How to Cure Stroke Paralysis?
Stroke-paralysis is an after-effect and cannot be cured with medicines or surgery. However, rehabilitation can help regain lost abilities to a large extent, depending on the damage caused by the brain and improve the quality of life. Here are a few methods used in stroke care-
1. Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is used to regain muscle strength and coordination through targeted exercises. It includes stretching, motion exercises, strength training, balance and gait training. Gait training is focused on improving posture, balance, and walking style to ensure safety.
2. Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy trains stroke survivors to carry out daily activities such as bathing, eating, dressing up, and going to the toilet independently.
3. Speech and Swallowing Therapy
The therapy aims to improve mouth movement and the flexibility of the muscles in the mouth that are required for speaking, eating, and swallowing. The therapy aims to improve communication and, most importantly, reduce the risk of choking.
4. Medication
Doctors may use prescription drugs to treat and heal the causes of the stroke and prevent further strokes from happening. Some of the medications used for the treatment of stroke include blood thinners, anticoagulants, and neuroprotective drugs.
5. Assistive Devices
Assistive devices can help with the movement of stroke survivors while on their path of recovery through rehabilitation. Some of the assistive devices often used for stroke survivors are supportive braces, walkers and wheelchairs. They all help with mobility and independence.
6. Electrical Stimulation Therapy
Electrical stimulation therapy uses mild, controlled electric shocks in affected muscles to stimulate them, make them alive, and help them regain strength and movement.
Paralysis Recovery: How Long Does It Take?
Paralysis recovery is a process and can take time. The duration of recovery can vary from person to person due to various factors. Some of the factors responsible and affecting the speed of recovery are-
- Severity of the Stroke: Mild strokes may lead to faster recovery due to lesser after effects. Alternatively, severe strokes with major damage require longer rehabilitation.
- Age and Overall Health: Young age or overall fitness can impact the healing rate.
- Early Rehabilitation: If a survivor starts with a rehabilitation program early, chances are high he will recover faster.
Right Side Paralysis Recovery Time & Stroke Paralysis Left Side Recovery
Stroke and damage in the left hemisphere of the brain causes paralysis on the right side. It may cause partial or complete right-side paralysis, depending on the severity of the stroke.
Similarly, damage caused by a stroke in the right hemisphere of the brain causes left side paralysis.
Rehabilitation programs with physiotherapy, speech and occupational therapy, and assistive mobility aids can help improve the condition and affect the speed of recovery. A survivor with mild symptoms recovers within a few weeks, while one with more impacts may require months and, in some cases, years to recover. Age and overall body fitness also affect the rate of recovery in patients.
How to Cure Stroke Paralysis at Olive Elder Care?
At Olive Elder Care, stroke recovery and care are led and supervised by our expert healthcare team. We focus on recovery with a holistic approach to ensure faster and more effective results from our therapies. We combine holistic wellness with physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy and, if needed, electrical stimulation therapy. We use the combined approach to improve the overall health of the patient, which then improves the recovery rate from stroke paralysis.
At Olive Elder Care, we ensure complete care to stroke survivors from day one with assisted living services for residential care or home visits. Furthermore, with specialised programs and personalisation, our focus remains on meeting all the needs of the patient. Our full range of services includes daily meals, medication management, mobility support, counseling, cognitive training and therapy with activities, recreational activities, yoga, meditation, and more.
With compassion and 24/7 supervision by medical staff, we assist and support stroke paralysis recovery that shows results.
Get in touch with us if you know someone who needs expert stroke recovery care.
FAQs
1. Can a person recover from stroke paralysis?
Yes, recovery from stroke-paralysis is possible as many stroke survivors have done so with the right support, therapy, and rehabilitation. However, it depends on several factors, such as the severity of the stroke and when the treatment begins.
2. How does a stroke affect your life?
Stroke affects a patient by paralysis of parts or the complete body. It affects mobility, speech, and cognitive function of the body. Since these three are the base for doing everything, the ability to work and do daily activities also gets impacted. Recovery requires long-term rehabilitation and lifestyle adjustments.
3. Which stroke causes paralysis?
Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes can cause paralysis. However, the affected site and severity of the stroke decides which side is paralysed and to what extent. Also, a stroke in the brain stem may cause complete body paralysis and can be fatal.
4. How long is stroke recovery?
Recovery time for stroke survivors may vary from a few weeks to a few months and, in some cases, years with not much improvement. This is because recovery depends on various factors such as the severity of the brain damage, age of the patient, overall fitness, brain recovery, treatment type, and duration. Early intervention and consistent treatment can show good results.
