A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is lost. Without the oxygen and nutrients blood carries, brain cells begin to die within minutes, which can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability or death. Stroke rehabilitation is a program that helps people relearn skills the damage took away — movement, speech, strength and everyday tasks — so they can be as independent as possible.
Who needs it
Rehabilitation is recommended for anyone affected by stroke, and is for anyone who has lost abilities needed in daily life. Most people who take part recover better than those who don't.
A stroke's effects depend on which parts of the brain were damaged. It can cause:
- paralysis or trouble controlling movement;
- pain or other problems with the senses;
- trouble using or understanding language;
- problems with thinking and memory;
- difficulty controlling or expressing emotions.
When it starts
The sooner, the better: early rehabilitation makes it more likely that lost skills come back. It may begin in the hospital, most likely within 24 to 48 hours of the stroke.
What it includes
Goals differ from person to person and depend on what the stroke affected. A plan can include learning new ways to manage disabilities, such as using assistive devices for everyday activities. Many kinds of health professionals may work with the patient to set needs and goals and build a plan:
| Treatment | Helps with |
|---|---|
| Speech-language therapy | Speaking, understanding, reading, writing and swallowing |
| Physical therapy | Relearning movement and coordination, regaining strength, stretching muscles |
| Occupational therapy | Daily living skills such as eating, drinking, bathing and dressing |
| Cognitive therapy | Thinking, learning, memory, planning and decision-making |
| Mental health counseling | Coping with emotional or behavioral issues, through therapy, medicine or a support group |
| Medicine | Pain, other health problems, and depression or other mental health conditions after a stroke |
| Vocational rehabilitation | Skills for going back to school or work |
Where it happens
It may start in the hospital. Before discharge, the patient, family and provider choose the best setting:
- an inpatient rehabilitation clinic;
- a home-based program;
- an outpatient unit;
- a skilled nursing facility.
How long it lasts
Everyone recovers at a different pace. How long rehabilitation takes depends on how severe the stroke was and on any complications. Some people recover quickly, but most need some kind of long-term rehabilitation, adjusted as their needs change. A willingness to work at improving, and support from family and the health care team, bring the best results.
Sources
Based on the MedlinePlus health topic "Stroke Rehabilitation," National Library of Medicine, with a summary from NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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