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STROKE
Learn more about stroke and how physiotherapy can help you regain function and life skills.
WHAT IS A STROKE?
A stroke is a sudden brain injury which occurs due to interrupted blood supply to part of the brain. This leads to cell injury and death in the affected area.
A stroke will usually be diagnosed in hospital by a doctor through physical assessments and brain scans.
Following diagnosis, a stroke will be categorised into either one of two types:
- Ischemic – Blockage of a blood vessel in the brain
- Haemorrhagic – Rupture of a blood vessel in the brain.
Prognosis of a stroke is dependent on what part of the brain is affected, the number of strokes an individual has had and will vary from person to person. Most rapid recovery usually occurs in the first 3 months following a stroke.
A stroke can lead to long-term impairments such as:
- Weakness and loss of movement in the upper and lower limb on one side of the body
- Loss of memory or cognitive function
- Reduced range of motion of the joints and muscles
- Difficulty speaking and swallowing
- Diminished walking, coordination or ability to perform everyday tasks
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF STROKE
Initial Symptoms
Sudden weakness of the face, arm or leg, sudden confusion, difficulty speaking, reduced vision, dizziness or loss of balance and coordination.
Long term Symptoms
Muscle weakness on one side of the body, spasms and joint stiffening, changes in cognition and memory, difficulty communicating, difficulty swallowing and decreased walking ability.
STROKE TREATMENT
Treatment should begin within the first 3 hours of a stroke. In hospital, medication will be provided to reduce the clot or haemorrhage that caused the stroke. In more severe cases, surgery may be indicated to remove the clot or stop the bleeding.
Once the patient is stabilised, doctors will address the underlying cause of the stroke, this may include; heart disease, high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, high cholesterol or diabetes.
Treatment involves providing specific medications or advice to change diet, implement exercise or adopt other healthy lifestyle habits. Some individuals may need long term medication to prevent another stroke, such as blood thinners.
Alongside this, allied health input will be provided to address the impairments caused by the stroke.
This will include:
- Speech therapy for speaking or swallowing difficulties
- Occupational therapy for issues with daily activities such as eating, drinking, dressing, showering
- Physiotherapy for exercise to relearn movements, improve mobility, regain strength and coordination lost as a result of a stroke
- Dietician to provide diet changes and advice
- Psychology to deal with the mental impact of a stroke
PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR STROKE
Physiotherapy treatment of stroke aims to regain the function lost as a result of stroke. This includes regaining mobility, strength, range of motion and coordination.
Physiotherapy treatment is an important aspect of stroke rehabilitation and is involved from the first day.
Physiotherapy treatment most commonly includes:
- Specific muscular strengthening and stretching exercises
- Manual therapy such as massage and joint mobilisations
- Task specific functional training for standing, sitting and other activities of daily living
- Gait (walking) retraining
- Hydrotherapy
- Prescription of mobility or other assistive devices
At Homemade Physiotherapy, we provide physiotherapy tailored to our clients goals and needs.
As a mobile physiotherapy service, we are able to provide evidence based treatments from the comfort of your own home. We can also provide access to hydrotherapy and local gyms.
ABOUT US
We are a small team of dedicated physiotherapists experienced in NDIS & Aged Care services.
Founded in January 2021, we provide personalised treatment so that you can feel better, move more and achieve your life goals.
