Recovery after a stroke, the speed and completeness of rehabilitation depend on the magnitude of the brain damage.
In some patients, after a stroke, movement and speech are completely restored in the first weeks or months, in others they remain difficult, and in others they hardly recover.
The fastest recovery process of lost functions in the first year after a stroke. Then the patient resigns himself to his position, adapts to the existing defects, the progress in rehabilitation stops

A patient after a stroke, as soon as his condition allows, should begin to do physical exercises in order to restore the mobility of the paralyzed limbs as fully as possible and to minimize the consequences. In the meantime, the bedridden patient is not able to do anything on his own, his relatives should deal with him - do passive gymnastics, massage

Many paralyzed patients fall into depression and are indifferent to their condition, they do not want to do rehabilitation gymnastics, they do not try to restore speech after a stroke. They lie in bed all day without moving. Even mild disorders of motor functions are poorly restored in such patients.
Often this happens not even because of laziness and depression, but because of the damage to certain areas of the brain. Such patients need to be properly stimulated in order to quickly overcome the consequences of a cerebral stroke.

Below are the stories of stroke patients who were able to recover at home, including those after extensive strokes, when doctors predicted complete immobility for the rest of their lives. The stories of people recovery are taken from the "Vestnik HLS" newspaper from the section "Life after a stroke".

Restoring movements after a stroke at home.

The men suffered a massive stroke, most of the brain was damaged, half of the body was paralyzed, vision and speech were lost. The wife was told that there was little hope, and if he did not die in the next week, he would be paralyzed for life. But dedication, perseverance, willpower and faith in himself helped him get back on his feet and serve himself, although many of the consequences of the stroke remain.

It is believed that the rest of the intact brain can take over the functions of the damaged part and transmit impulses to the paralyzed parts of the body. But this is possible with training and faith in improving your condition.
It was very difficult for the man to learn to swallow, eat food, control the bladder, but he decided not to give up, but to fight for his health every hour. The main thing is not to get used to the state in which you are, but to move forward every day.
The part of the brain that controls speech and language comprehension has recovered from the special exercises that the hospital advised. He performed these exercises for 1 year after a stroke every day, and then for another five years in those cases when the face began to twist.

After he learned to sit in a place that he did not feel, the patient began to think about how to learn to stand and move. But he didn't have enough strength for that - he swallowed food with difficulty, so he ate little. He spent most of the day sitting in a wheelchair, learned to tie himself to it with one good hand, and to move the wheelchair with his good leg, pushing off the floor. Life immediately became more interesting.
Then he learned to dress and undress independently.
Although five years later the arm and leg remained paralyzed, the man learned to walk with a stick, descend the stairs with the help of the railing backwards.
Before a paralyzed patient after a stroke is going to stand on his feet, he needs to fix in what position the leg is, otherwise you can fall - the paralyzed leg while getting up from the chair, the bed is not able to hold the weight of the body and kind of bends. It takes time to learn to lean on a paralyzed leg and maintain body balance.
It is very helpful to stretch the paralyzed arm and each finger on it several times a day, but care must be taken not to damage the joints due to the lack of sensitivity in the arm. If the pressure is normal, then the following exercise is useful: holding with your healthy hand on a fixed support, try to do squats, starting from three times, bring to 10 (2-3 times a day)
Recovering from a stroke at home has been going on for 4 years. Results: a paralyzed man walks on his own, sits in a stroller only if he feels that he is tired or loses his balance, undresses and dresses himself, including shoes, prepares food, tries with all his might to become independent (HLS 2003, No. 10, p. 14 -15, 2003, No. 21, p. 24)

Full recovery from a stroke - from a bed patient to a morning run.
A woman after severe stress came down with a stroke, although she always led a healthy lifestyle. I lay in depression for a long time, I thought that life was over. But once, after reading "HLS", I thought that many people are struggling with their disease in even more difficult conditions than she is. After these thoughts, with great effort, I rolled off the couch, and in order to give myself physical exertion, I began to waddle from side to side. Then the medics who visited her daily came and helped her back to the sofa.
This was the beginning, the former bedridden patient slowly began to crawl on her right side, walking with crutches. This lasted six months until she was transferred to live in a village house. There she crawled on the grass and was glad that she could move herself, although the coordination of movements was impaired. All these rehabilitation efforts were not in vain. Now she is 63 years old, she gets up early in the morning, does exercises, and runs every morning along forest paths. She saws and chops wood for the stove herself, in the summer she works in the garden. The consequences of a brain stroke have completely disappeared. (HLS 2003, No. 9, p. 8,)

Home recovery after a stroke using the Frolov simulator.

The man suffered a cerebral stroke. After that he took many medications, but his condition remained very deplorable.
The case helped - there was a medical exhibition, and one doctor advised him to buy the Frolov TDI-1 simulator for recovery from a stroke. A two-month course on the use of this simulator was also held here. The patient completed the courses, mastered endogenous breathing on the simulator. Started with 5 minutes. Classes were given to him very hard, he had to mobilize all the willpower and energy so as not to abandon them.
As a result, the man worked out on the simulator at home for at least two hours a day. He achieved tangible success - he began to do without drugs, the pressure dropped from 230/150 to 130-140 / 90. He feels well, noises in his head have disappeared, almost all the consequences of a cerebral stroke have disappeared - the paralyzed arm and leg are gradually recovering. (HLS 2003, No. 22, p. 19)

Recovery of speech after a stroke.

Example # 1. Restoration of speech with the help of poetry.
A woman at 53 years old suffered a stroke, although she was never considered hypertensive, the pressure was always 120/80. However, on the day of the stroke, when the ambulance doctor measured the pressure, it turned out to be 240/70.
For three months she lay at home motionless. Paralyzed the right side. The arm and leg were hanging like whips, the speech was disturbed after the stroke. The patient was completely discouraged, but the nurse convinced her that it is possible to overcome the consequences of a cerebral stroke. Then the woman began to fight for her health: with her left hand she massaged the right side, read aloud to restore speech, did exercises. When the right leg began to work, she began to walk around the room for a long time. The hand also did not rise above the waist, then she began to blacken the marks on the wall with her left hand and tried to reach them with her right hand. Gradually, the arms and legs began to function normally. Daily exercise helped. 12 years have passed since then, from the consequences of a stroke, only the noise in the head remained. (HLS 2000, No. 11, p. 7)

Example # 2. Recovering speech after a stroke at home - reading aloud.
A 54-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with a right-sided stroke. The doctors considered him hopeless, they did not carry out any treatment. A few hours after the stroke, he woke up in a regular ward, and not in intensive care. The wife persuaded the doctors not to write off the patient, but to fight for his life. As a result, they managed to save their lives, but the term of life at discharge was prescribed for 3-4 years.
Rehabilitation after a stroke at home was very slow, the patient had to re-learn to walk, speak, read - the meaning of what he read constantly escaped, only six months later the ability to think logically returned. To restore speech, the speech therapist recommended reading newspapers aloud, and pronouncing difficult words several times. But that was pretty boring. At that time, everyone was reading the novels of Valentin Pikul. And the patient began to read the first volume aloud, his wife was the listener. He pronounced the words diligently, achieving the correct pronunciation. I read for a long time, since I was captivating the novel. After the first volume, the speech became much more intelligible, almost all the words could be pronounced correctly. After the second volume, the former voice and its color returned, the man spoke as before, before the illness.
It was not possible to restore his right hand, he began to write with his left hand. At first, scribbles were obtained, after two years of training, the handwriting completely recovered, and became similar to the handwriting of the right hand, only the writing speed dropped.
Stroke recovery was not as smooth as this description might suggest. These small victories occurred against a background of pain, including hypertension, angina pectoris, cramps in the arm and leg, and worries about being unnecessary.
The patient, who had previously been engaged in mental work, did not want to leave his brain unloaded, so he began to write a story on a typewriter - memories of his friend, a front-line poet, which the local newspaper then began to publish, to read books of philosophers. Almost 20 years have passed since the stroke, but the death sentence has never happened. (HLS 2001, No. 15, p. 15)

A 56-year-old woman suffered 2 strokes, after the first her right side was paralyzed, after the second she lost speech. The daughter asked the newspaper how to restore speech after a stroke at home.
The head of the neurological department of the Scientific Center of Neurology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, professor, doctor of the Ministry of Science A. Kadykov is in charge.
Recovery of speech and movement after a stroke does not always occur simultaneously; speech returns more slowly.
Even with the most severe speech disorders, intelligence, as a rule, does not suffer. Therefore, do not treat a patient after a stroke like an unreasonable child. The most important thing is to communicate more with the patient, there should be no speech isolation. First, you need to speak, naming objects in the nominative case "Fridge, plate, cheese", which means take out a plate of cheese from the refrigerator. In the future, complicate speech classes.
Encourage the patient to speak up, ask questions more often. Show patience, do not rush the patient with an answer. Try to say each word slowly and clearly. Stop speaking classes when you see that the patient is tired, do not cause irritation, forcing him to work out the prescribed time.
If you feel well, speech restoration classes at home can last 30-60 minutes. Conduct them 1-3 times a day, you can do shorter sessions, but increase their number up to 5-6 times.
In order for speech restoration classes in a paralyzed patient to be more effective, it is necessary to obtain preliminary consultation from a speech therapist. (HLS 2010, No. 13, p. 25)

A folk remedy for the restoration of speech after a stroke.
This folk remedy helps to restore speech after a stroke at home.
Mix half a cup of honey and half a cup of onion juice. Store the mixture in the refrigerator. It is not required to insist the composition, the fresher it is, the better.
Take a mixture of 1 tbsp. l. three times a day 20 minutes before meals. When the portion is over, make a new one. The course of treatment is 1 week. Then take a break for 7 days, then repeat the course - a copy of the first. (HLS 2004, No. 7, p. 21)

Restoring speech with radish
This is an affordable and proven folk remedy for recovering speech after a stroke. Place the grated or thinly sliced \u200b\u200bradish under your tongue and on your tongue. Keep in mouth. The patient should feel a cold burning sensation and tingling sensation. If the gastrointestinal tract is sick, then the accumulated saliva must be spit out. The procedure should be done 3-4 times a day. (HLS, p. 38, 2012, No. 6)

According to Avicenna's recipe
The woman had a stroke 8 years ago. The right side was paralyzed, speech was impaired. The ambulance didn’t take the patient to the hospital, they prescribed treatment at home.
When the next day the nurse came to give an injection, the patient with facial expressions asked her to take blood from a vein, since she read from Avicenna that bloodletting helps with a stroke. The nurse did not agree for a long time, but then she still took blood. On the same day, the patient's speech was restored.
The next day, seeing improvements, the nurse took blood again - 5 ml. The leg moved away. On the third day after taking blood, the patient recovered completely after a stroke. Now no one believes that she had a stroke. (HLS 2011, No. 4, p. 40)

Stages of recovery after a stroke at home.

The woman suffered a stroke in September 2002, the right side remained paralyzed. At the hospital where she went, the doctors infected her with optimism, they promised that she would run by the New Year. More than a year has passed. I haven't run yet, but the spirit of optimism keeps, the consequences of a cerebral stroke are slowly receding.
The past year after a stroke can be divided into five stages of rehabilitation.

1st stage (October-December 2002) The patient can only lie down and cry a lot. In October, 10 massage procedures were performed. In November - 30 injections (Cerebrolysin, Piracetam). In December, she began to engage in medical gymnastics with a coach. I learned to sit in pillows, after that I was able to watch TV, read, do crosswords.
2nd stage (January - March 2003) In January, in the morning, blood pressure began to rise, and I underwent a course of injections. In February, she took a course of massage, continued to engage in therapeutic gymnastics with a trainer.
In February, she learned how to sit up in bed herself with the help of a rope attached to the legs of the sofa on which she lies. Sitting, I learned to iron and sew. Since she is left-handed from birth, and her right hand is paralyzed, this job was good for her.
3rd stage (April - July) Since April I began to learn to walk, in my left hand a crutch, on both sides - a daughter and a granddaughter. The daughter supported the paralyzed side on the right, the granddaughter and the crutch on the left. The patient walked from the sofa to the window - 10 steps, and back. It was considered - 1 time. The number of times was increased with each lesson. There was a hope that he would learn to walk. By that time, half a year had passed since the stroke.

4th stage of stroke recovery at home (August). In August, the woman was transported to the dacha, where she really liked it - fresh fruit, air. She began to move more. And it turned out better to walk - on one side there was now only a crutch, and on the right was still a daughter or granddaughter.

5th stage of rehabilitation (September - November, a year has passed since the stroke) In September, they began to take the woman out for a walk, while the patient herself learned to work while sitting and help harvest crops from the dacha - she peeled vegetables for conservation, crumbled grapes for wine. The right hand did not work, she only pressed vegetables with it.
On November 10, she began to walk around the house only with a stick, without the support of her relatives: she moved from the sofa to a chair, then to another chair that was next to the table. Holding on to the table, he gets to his feet, and, leaning on a crutch, walks through the apartment to the front door and back. It is 15 meters. At first I made 2-3 flights a day, by the end of November I had 40 flights. It took at least 2 hours a day to walk.
At the end of November I underwent a course of injections and massage.
(HLS 2004, No. 2, p. 11)

Massage, cupping and walking helped to recover from a stroke
A 57-year-old man suffered a cerebral stroke. Before this event, he did not think about a healthy lifestyle, he tried to eat tastier and move less. The disease forced him to reconsider his attitude to life. As a result, a year after the stroke, he lost 28 kg of excess weight, blood pressure 115/70, blood biochemistry is normal.
In his letter, he talks about the stages of rehabilitation after a cerebral stroke.
Immediately after the transfer from intensive care to a regular ward, the patient's wife decided not to limit herself to the prescribed treatment, but to engage in rehabilitation on her own. After all, the first hours and days after strokes are most important for the maximum restoration of lost functions.
After reading that cervical osteochondrosis contributes to the violation of cerebral circulation, much attention was paid to massage after a stroke. While the patient was still unable to sit, his wife massaged his earlobes, popliteal fossa, feet, spine. The massage was carried out both with fingers and with massage balls 2-3 times a day.
Two weeks later, the left leg "moved away", a month after the stroke - the arm, and a month and a half later the patient learned to speak distinct words distinctly.
As soon as the paralyzed patient after the stroke was allowed to sit, his wife began to massage him in the neck area, at first carefully, then more and more intensively. She alternated the usual massage with honey, and a month later she also attached cans, which she put along the spine in 2 rows.
Two months after the stroke, the patient was transported to a sanatorium, where physiotherapy, massage, and walks were prescribed. At first, a man could walk 300 m in a day, after a month he walked 3 km. All this was done through "I can not", sacrificing sleep, TV and other temptations of the sanatorium.
In his diet, he preferred vegetable and fruit dishes, avoiding fatty, sweet, salt and eggs.
The blood test still showed high cholesterol levels, then they began to develop a nutritional strategy more thoroughly, eliminating all unhealthy foods.
After the sanatorium, the man still kept a diet and walked a lot - 1 hour in the morning and in the evening in any weather. At first I walked slowly, then faster and faster, then I began to jog from time to time. I regulated the loads according to the pulse rate, increased and decreased them slowly - after an energetic walk I did not flop on the sofa, but took a contrast shower, then did relaxation exercises.
(HLS 2004, No. 7, p. 16)

Recovery from hemorrhagic stroke.

The man had hemorrhagic stroke... After that, he lay motionless for 2 years, paralyzed. His wife and family looked after him. I would have lain like this if it hadn't been for an army comrade who had come to visit and shamed: “How can you lie and keep the 'attendants' around you? If the right side is not paralyzed, then you have to work on yourself. " The comrade tied the straps to the legs of the sofa on which the patient was lying, and demanded that he try to lift the body and sit down.
It was very difficult at the beginning. The head ached, dizzy, but the patient continued to work constantly: he got up, then with his right hand worked out his left leg and arm, for this he even stopped sleeping during the day. From a "log" he began to turn into a man. Finally, he began to roll over from side to side on his own, sit down. Then he learned to lower his feet from the couch to the floor. At first I sat for 5-10 seconds, gradually increasing this time.
Then he began, with the help of his wife, and then the chair, to stand on the floor. He stood for 2-3 seconds and sat down. A year after starting training, he began to walk around the apartment on his own.
The same comrade brought Paul Bragg's book The Miracle of Fasting. The man fasted for two years for 24 hours a week, then switched to a 36-hour fast, and again went on a fast for 3-4 days a month.
The result of such rehabilitation after a stroke (5 years have passed, of which 3 years of exercise and fasting):
1. clarity in the head,
2.pressure decreased from 160 / 120-130 to 140/100,
3. pills are no longer needed.
4. All joints rotate freely, although the left side is still "dead". But the man learned to control her.
You can defeat the consequences of a brain stroke yourself. To do this, you need to turn on your willpower and perseverance, laborious work is ahead. Take on yourself. If you don't do it yourself, no healers will help you. Only independent daily activities give a positive result.
(HLS 2006, No. 1, p. 18)

Rehabilitation after a stroke at home.

Every day is like at the start.
Three-time world champion in speed skating Maria Isakova suffered a stroke at the age of 80. The left side was paralyzed. But the former champion said to herself, "I have to stand up no matter what."
In the very first days after the stroke, the patient, overcoming dizziness, weakness and doctors' warnings, began to sit up in bed. In bed, she tried to move as best she could: she raised her healthy arm and leg, then lifted the sick one with her healthy hand. When her daughter came to the hospital to look after her, she forced her to put 2 chairs next to her, and, leaning on them, tried to do the exercises that she did every morning before the stroke. It turned out, of course, a semblance to what had happened before, but the patient forced herself not to retreat: she turned, bent over, forced herself to slightly raise her knees, imitating walking, even tried to squat. The doctors marveled at her persistence.
After some time, she got stronger, was able to walk with a stick and support from her daughter.
When I returned home from the hospital, I also did not allow myself to relax. Rehabilitation after a stroke continued at home. Every morning he forces himself to get out of bed, does exercises, because he does not want to change his usual way of life, then he washes himself, makes himself coffee. Everything turns out very slowly. Then she sits down to crochet, to which she became addicted after the hospital, before that she had never knitted.
He knits 20 loops, then makes himself walk around the apartment, as he gets tired, he sits down to knit again. 7 years have passed since the stroke, the whole apartment is now decorated with knitted rugs, napkins, capes, and gives them to relatives.
It is very important to deal with a sick person, to be needed by someone and to enjoy what has been done. Seeing the result of a case is like medicine.
(HLS 2005, No. 24, pp. 16-17)

How to recover from a brain stroke.

By a woman who has suffered a stroke. By her example, she showed that it is possible to recover from a stroke, and everything depends on the wishes of the patient himself. She sees a way out of the disease in search of joy, albeit small, but joy. The joy for her is to achieve the set goal.
Immediately after the stroke, she suffered a terrible period of despair, when all thoughts were only about the disease. Such a case helped her to overcome this state. When she was sitting on a chair at the entrance, a familiar woman approached her, having learned what had happened, the acquaintance said that this is an insidious disease, and now everything will depend on the patient herself, who will win. These words sank into the soul, the patient really wanted to recover and return to her former life, when she went to the country house, went skiing. I realized that if you just wait for everything to pass by itself, lie down and feel sorry for yourself - then this is a road to a dead end. We must fight and conquer our disease.
Before this conversation, she could only walk around the room; after the conversation, she began to pace, adding steps, rejoicing that the number of steps was increasing. I did exercises lying down for 30 minutes, then walking again, the day was spent working on myself. Excitement appeared, interest in life returned. New victories bring new joys.
To restore memory after a stroke, before going to bed I tried to retell the texts I read during the day. For a walk I took the text of fables with me and taught them.
There are exacerbations and a bad mood, but the wife does not allow them to roam, she immediately mentally switches to something pleasant in order to distract herself. (HLS 2010, No. 18, p. 9-10)

Stroke recovery drink.
The woman is 81 years old. She has already suffered 3 strokes. To overcome its consequences, especially dizziness, herbal infusion helps her, the recipe for which was advised by a neurologist.
1 tbsp. l. rose hips, 1 tbsp. l. hawthorn fruit. 1 tbsp. l. motherwort pour 1 liter of boiling water in a thermos. Drink 1 glass 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3 months. (HLS 2004, No. 10, p. 26)

How did you manage to overcome the consequences of a brain stroke with the help of eggs.
A 78-year-old man had a stroke. The daughter read about the healing power of eggs, that fresh village eggs help to restore a person after a stroke, and sent her sick father to the village to visit her sister. There he ate 2 eggs in the morning and in the evening. A month after the treatment, he came to life - he began to walk, his speech and memory were restored. All the neighbors were amazed, no one thought he could get out of bed.
The man lived all summer in the village, put on weight and now feels good. (HLS 2002, No. 23, p. 19)

Recovering from a stroke at home for an elderly person.

An elderly man suffered a stroke at the age of 68. I lay in the bathhouse for 16 hours unconscious, because I lived alone. The left side was completely paralyzed. From the very first days there was a great desire to fully recover. It took 4 years after the stroke, until the end of the recovery was possible, but the determination does not pass.
The patient gets up at 6 am, does exercises in bed, then 100-150 squats, 50-70 push-ups from the horizontal bar. Working out the left hand, he lifts the brick 30 times, squeezes it 20 times and attracts.
For breakfast, he eats oatmeal steamed with boiling water, adding dried apricots, prunes, raisins, fresh or frozen berries, walnuts, grated carrots to them.
To prevent recurrent stroke, he drinks a mixture of lemons, garlic and honey 3 times a day.
Eats 3 tbsp for dinner. l. buckwheat soaked in kefir with the addition of honey. An hour after dinner - a glass of kefir (healthy lifestyle 2010, No. 6, p. 9)

The woman suffered a stroke 2 years ago, went to the newspaper with a complaint that after a stroke headaches, dizziness, and a feeling of fear persist.
She is answered by the head of the neurological department of the Scientific Center of Neurology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, professor, doctor of the Ministry of Science A. S. Kadykov.
Headaches could be present before the stroke. Stroke itself rarely leads to headaches. Therefore, if they have appeared recently, it is necessary to find out the cause of their occurrence. It happens that headaches after a stroke appear with too much intensity of recovery activities.
When your head hurts, use folk remedies - put a mustard plaster on your feet, or prepare an infusion from a mixture of herbs: oregano, mint, St. John's wort in equal proportions. 1 tbsp. l. collection for 1 glass of boiling water - drink in 3 divided doses during the day. The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks. This remedy is good for neurological headaches.
Dizziness after a stroke can be pi vegetative-vascular dystonia.
The feeling of fear will be removed by relanium, seduxen, but first try herbal folk remedies - tinctures or infusions of motherwort, valerian. (HLS 2010, No. 4, p. 28,)

Stroke of any type is a complex disease that strikes at basic body functions, including speech and musculoskeletal system, memory and heart function. Finding out what not to do after a stroke will be of interest to patients who have been diagnosed with such a diagnosis and their relatives who are planning a care schedule for them. The speed of recovery depends on the success of rehabilitation and compliance with the doctor's recommendations. Many patients manage to return to normal life even after severe forms of stroke with additional pathologies.

Recovering from a stroke

Recovery rate after stroke

It is possible to restore the vital functions of the body by making serious efforts, but this process can take years. According to statistics, stroke patients recover only partially, since this pathology affects the brain. Their relatives will have to prepare for a long recovery, the timing of which directly depends on the type of illness and the severity of the patient's condition.

Important! The initial stage of treatment takes place in stationary conditions, where the patient is taken out of unconsciousness and hemodynamic parameters are normalized. After discharge, doctors and close relatives should monitor his well-being.

A good effect is provided by an additional health-improving course in a sanatorium or a specialized center, where suitable conditions are created for a full recovery. It is much more difficult to organize recovery and further after discharge, but with proper care, approximately 85% of patients return to their usual life after 1.5 years. The patient can achieve good results if he does not break the rules and follow all the prescriptions of doctors.

Recommendations of doctors after a stroke

Classification of recovery periods after stroke

The duration and sequence of recovery periods depends on the individual condition of a particular patient, changes in the vessels and lesions. If the patient consistently follows the recommendations of doctors, the duration of the rehabilitation period may be reduced.

Recovery phases are distinguished taking into account the results achieved. The early period takes at least six months, the late one lasts up to a year; you can get a noticeable effect even after a few years. Rehabilitation specialists distinguish 4 stages:

1. First month. This period is considered the most dangerous, since the patient's survival depends on it. At this time, repeated heart attacks and strokes can occur, attacks and a noticeable deterioration of the condition can be recorded. The head is spinning and hurts. Treatment consists in eliminating cerebral edema, stimulating collateral circulation and preventing the development of complications.
2. Six months after a stroke. In the next six months, the patient will have to adapt to his condition psychologically and develop a clear plan of action. The attitude of the patient is of great importance - if he is ready to resist the disease, improvement will come much faster.
3. The next six months. If for seven months the patient followed bed rest and diet, did not refuse to take medications and excluded possible complications, he manages to partially restore the lost functions, including speech and motor activity.
4. Second year after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. A person who has had the disease is able to fully return to a previous life, while he will have to follow the doctor's recommendations for life after a stroke.

The standard rehabilitation period is three years, but it all depends on changes in the work of the heart, the progression of ischemia and other concomitant pathologies, as well as many other factors. Each organism is individual, and the brain of an individual person has its own characteristics, for this reason, some patients need more or less time to recover.

Stroke recovery exercises

List of typical complications after stroke

Doctors' forecasts make it possible to understand how long it will take to fully or partially restore vital functions. Rehabilitation should be started as early as possible after the patient's general condition has stabilized. His family members should actively participate in treatment, monitor the implementation of the plan, taking into account changes, increase the workload and set new goals for the patient. Stroke often causes many problems that arise during treatment:

1. Paralysis of the upper and lower limbs, weakness in the legs or hands. More often, the patient paralyzes one part of the body, while he can independently rise to sit and even walk. Elimination of the problem is achieved with the help of physiotherapy and medication, after the onset of visible improvements, the patient will have to train and do exercises.
2. Spasms and increased muscle tone. Often paralyzed limbs remain in one position for a long time, which provokes problems with mobility. Specialists prescribe special medications, muscle relaxation, physiotherapy.
3. Problems with speech. Partial or complete speech therapy impairment of speech is observed in all patients who have had a stroke. Often, such patients lose the ability to write, the restoration of this function occurs under the supervision of a speech therapist.
4. Difficulty swallowing. Dysphagia or trouble swallowing food and fluids can cause pneumonia if food gets into the windpipe. This is due to damage to the nerves that are involved in the swallowing function.
5. Vision problems. Often, after a stroke, patients have severe vision loss, its partial loss is due to impaired brain functions.
6. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and bladder. Urinary incontinence and constipation are a major problem for bedridden patients. Bowel problems arise from prolonged stay in bed, they can be eliminated after adjusting the diet, training the pelvic muscles and increasing physical activity.

Epilepsy and mental disorders are another common complication. Stroke patients often experience depression, heightened emotionality, anxiety, constant mood swings and inability to control themselves. Mental disorders can slow down the recovery process, so doctors often prescribe special medications for a calming effect. In the period from 6 months to 2 years, some patients develop epilepsy, requiring separate treatment.

Stroke

Restrictions in the recovery phase after a stroke

After returning to normal life, many patients want more autonomy, such as starting to drive again, going to work, and doing normal and daily activities. Unfortunately, a stroke imposes a number of restrictions on many types of activities, such prohibitions greatly complicate the patient's life and negatively affect his emotional background. The ability to again engage in this or that type of activity completely depends on the individual state of the organism.

Sports and physical activity after a stroke

Answering whether it is possible to play sports after a stroke, many doctors recommend including feasible and moderate loads in the second recovery stage. Sports and physical activity restore muscle tissue, help the patient learn to control his body again, strengthen the nervous system. While maintaining optimal activity, the likelihood of recurrent strokes is significantly reduced. The first month of therapy is the most important after illness and includes many procedures.

Important! Intensive fitness classes, visits to the standard sports center and swimming pool are prohibited in the early stages of recovery. The patient must not engage in heavy sports. He is prescribed a specially designed set of exercises taking into account the state and gradually increase the load.

Such classes should be regular, only in this case they will bring real benefits. Swimming in the sea and swimming in the pool during several months of the rehabilitation period is prohibited.

Light loads have a positive effect on the nervous system, develop the heart muscle, reduce excitability and increase the body's resistance to stress, both in women and in men. Strong exercise has a positive effect on the respiratory system, increases lung capacity and allows the brain to receive more oxygen.

Sports after a stroke

A visit to the bathhouse and sauna after a stroke

Many people are interested in whether it is possible to go to the bathhouse after a stroke, and how the steam bath will affect the functioning of the brain and other body systems. Doctors allow a visit to the bathhouse, but in each individual case, the patient will need to undergo an examination, including an MRI, and get additional advice. Due to the possible development of complications, water procedures can worsen the condition or lead to sudden death. During the first year after suffering a stroke, going to the bathhouse is strictly prohibited.

Important! When asked whether it is possible to go to the sea after a stroke, doctors usually recommend waiting at least six months. After the first improvement, a trip to the sea is indicated as a general strengthening therapy, taking into account the requirements of neurology.

If the recovery proceeds as usual, the brain damage is minor, and the scarring of the necrotic tissue occurs at a rapid rate, short visits to the steam room will do more benefit than harm. If the patient takes a steam bath and goes to the sauna, observing all safety measures, then in a short time he will notice the effect. The list of advantages of a bath and a sauna after a stroke includes vasodilation and relaxation of the locomotor system, improved blood supply and intensive nutrition of nerve cells.

Bath after a stroke

Patient nutrition is of great importance and directly affects recovery. Compliance with the diet recommended by the doctor will significantly reduce the rehabilitation period and improve the general condition of the patient. The diet should include foods that reduce blood clots and thin the blood. It is recommended to eat lean meat and fish, more vegetables in boiled or stewed form, fresh fruits, berries and herbs, nuts, bee products, healthy carbohydrates in the form of cereals.

When asked whether it is possible to drink black coffee after a stroke, doctors usually recommend temporarily abandoning this drink and giving preference to weak tea or herbal decoctions. The list of prohibited foods includes fatty meats and lard, dairy products with a high fat content, mayonnaise, smoked meats, spicy, fried and salty foods. They should be abandoned for the entire period of rehabilitation in order to maintain health and speed up healing. Additional guidelines include:

• exclusion of alcoholic beverages, coffee and tobacco, which negatively affect the process of regenerating brain cells and the functioning of the immune system;
• minimizing the consumption of sugar and salt, which have a bad effect on blood vessels and the circulatory system;
• exclusion and diet of food containing a large amount of cholesterol and transgenic fats;
• reducing the intake of dishes made from wheat flour.

Homemade meals should be fractional and combined with a schedule of medications and medications. Many patients who have had an ischemic stroke have problems with swallowing, which are fixed in the hospital and persist after being discharged home. For this reason, the diet in the first days of the recovery period should be sparing. The patient should receive a large amount of liquid and food in pureed or liquid form. Healthy and fresh food, combined with a complete regimen, will help the patient recover faster and return to normal life.

Post-stroke nutrition

Important restrictions for stroke patients

The general list of restrictions depends on the severity of the patient's condition, the type of stroke and additional complications that will be recorded at the examination stage. Ignoring the contraindications and advice of the attending physician can cause disorders of motor and other functions, vision problems, provoke a repeated massive heart attack or stroke.

The patient is advised to eat properly, follow the doctor's advice and not skip taking medications. Since a stroke is accompanied by a violation of many important functions, the patient often requires constant care.

Patient care

Drinking alcoholic beverages, even in small quantities, is strictly prohibited during the entire recovery period - a drinker has a markedly increased risk of a second stroke. Alcohol negatively affects the work of the cerebellum, increases pressure, increases pain in the head area, which can press on the neck area. Patients with circulatory disorders develop speech disorders, problems with memory, motor functions and emotions. Such people should be under the supervision of relatives and doctors throughout the entire period of treatment. The list of restrictions includes:

1. Strong emotional stress and nervous strain. The patient should not engage in physical labor and experience stress.
2. Car driving. It is forbidden to drive a car for 3-6 months after an illness. If we are talking about the most severe form of pathology, this prohibition will be permanent.
3. Air travel is prohibited for at least two weeks after diagnosis. With the most difficult form of the disease, flights should be suspended for at least one month, before the planned trip, you will need to undergo a second examination.

A combination of proper nutrition, physical therapy, such as acupuncture, medication prescribed by a doctor, and adherence to the correct regimen will help restore vital functions in the shortest possible time and eliminate the occurrence of recurrent complications. Comprehensive rehabilitation makes it possible to return to the full daily routine to which the patient was accustomed to before the stroke.

A set of exercises after a stroke to restore walking, how to speed up the rehabilitation process? How long can a person live after a stroke, prognosis and symptoms

Stroke is a serious disease that often leads to death or disability. This is not surprising, because with a hemorrhage in the brain or an interruption in the supply of oxygen to it, part of the nerve cells irreversibly die. Recovery after a stroke is possible thanks to the plasticity of the brain - the ability to assign lost functions to previously unused cells and form new neural connections. The effectiveness of this process strongly depends on the time that has passed since the crisis, therefore, efficiency at each stage of treatment is important.

Initially, patients are admitted to the intensive care unit, then to a neurological hospital. After that, the longest and most directly dependent on the patient and his loved ones stage - the rehabilitation period - passes.

The effectiveness of rehabilitation after a stroke and its duration depend on many things: timely detection of symptoms and initiation of treatment, the type and severity of the stroke, the patient's general health, the presence of concomitant diseases or senile dementia, the patient's age. The patient's mental state and his willingness to make efforts to recover from a stroke, to return to a full life, and the support of relatives are also important.

The recovery period after a stroke can range from 1 month to 2 years. Some are able to rehabilitate almost immediately, others remain permanently disabled, and they are not even assigned rehabilitation measures. Therefore, the referral to rehabilitation should be assessed as luck. 85% of those who have suffered ischemic stroke manage to return to full life in a year and a half, and two-thirds of these people recover in the first 3-4 months.

Is it possible to completely restore the brain after a stroke? Unfortunately no. Instead of damaged areas of nerve tissue, liquid-filled voids are formed, which affects the loss of certain functions. A stroke leads to impaired memory and speech, coordination, especially fine motor skills, mental disorders, loss of control over one side of the body. From here we get the answer to the question of how to recover from a stroke - you need to return the lost abilities or compensate for them with new ones. You should not hesitate - neural connections are most easily formed if you start classes immediately after overcoming the crisis. It is important not to give up until the functions that require prolonged exercise are restored, to continue taking the necessary drugs.

Complex of rehabilitation measures

Stroke recovery includes the return of psychological and physical health, speech and memory functions, and prevention of relapse through blood pressure control, healthy eating, giving up bad habits and making lifestyle changes for the better. How long the rehabilitation will last depends on the sequence of the patient regarding the instructions of the supervising doctors.

Physical component

Physical rehabilitation for stroke includes active (physiotherapy exercises, or exercise therapy) and passive measures (massage, magnetotherapy, physiotherapy) to restore motor functions. The latter often seems preferable to patients, but it is not able to replace physical exercise. If there is a financial opportunity, rehabilitation after a stroke at home may include the invitation of a specialist in exercise therapy, but the maximum effect will be obtained by visiting a rehabilitation center and exercising with other patients.

Some of the exercises are available while still in bed. Often, stroke survivors have excessive toned limbs, which can become stiff in an awkward position. In such cases, you need to gradually increase the range of motion and relieve muscle tension. Passive gymnastics is possible with the gradual connection of the patient's efforts. The following measures are available:

After a stroke, the arm should be exercised, bending and unbending the fingers, the hand.

By moving the limbs in the joints, you can gradually regain control of the body.

Rotational movements available to a healthy person are helped by the patient's caregiver.

Stretching the limbs bent with spasm is a measure of combating paralysis, when the fingers, and then the whole hand, are fixed with bandages to a flat object for half an hour or more.

A patient who has succeeded in restoring his arm after a stroke can perform manipulations with a towel hanging over the bed, making all possible movements with it. After that, the towel is lifted and the exercise is complicated by the patient's weight.

The rubber ring can be stretched between the limbs in different combinations.

An ever larger roller, placed under the knee, serves to restore leg function.

The patient can help himself with his hands in flexion and extension of the legs, alternately grabbing the lower legs and leading the feet along the bed.

Reaching out to the back of the bed, the patient can, as it were, pull himself up, while simultaneously stretching the feet and toes.

Another set of exercises available to bedridden patients is gymnastics for the eyes (side-to-side movements, circular movements, focusing on near and distant objects, blinking, close eyes tightly).

A stroke survivor undergoes gradual recovery, then proceeding to gymnastics in a sitting position. It focuses on the transition to targeted movements and preparation for walking. Patients perform:

• alternate leg raises;
• connecting the shoulder blades and tilting the head back on inhalation with relaxation on the exhale;
• arching the back back on inhalation with relaxation on exhalation.

Then comes the turn of standing exercises and returning to fine movements. The complex includes:

• lifting small items from the floor or table;
• stretching with raising arms while inhaling and returning to the starting position while exhaling;
• torso tilts;
• exercises for hands, including with an expander;
• exercise "scissors";
• squats.

Finally, the patient can actually go to exercise therapy. It is worth working diligently, since the length of stay in the rehabilitation center is short. You should not even allow overwork: all exercises must correspond to the current capabilities and condition of the patient.

Before class, the muscles are warmed up with a warm-up, warm water procedures, a heating pad or massage. The presence of loved ones in the classroom will have a positive effect, who can not only help the patient to perform the exercises, but also convince him of the benefits of diligent practice.

Exercise therapy is aimed at restoring movements in the same volume, maintaining balance, walking, performing household operations and switching to self-service. After all, the habitual dressing or eating for stroke survivors suddenly becomes difficult operations.

In the early stages, passive measures can be used. They will not replace exercise therapy, but they will help prepare the patient for gymnastics. These include electrical stimulation, massage, magnetotherapy and physiotherapy. Currently, an effective tool is the method of biofeedback, when a patient, using a computer program or a game, performs tasks, receiving, together with a doctor, sound or visual signals about the functioning of the body.

Mental component

It is not surprising that a stroke becomes an ordeal, often causing depression or apathy. Patients become irritable, hot-tempered and aggressive, having lost their former ability to control emotions. Often they themselves do not notice how difficult they have become in communication. The patience of relatives, their warmth and support are important in order to avoid the crisis and undergo psychological rehabilitation after a stroke.

It is necessary to maintain good spirits and optimism, and if you notice the symptoms of depression, start treatment. Modern medicine will cope with it with the help of dietary supplements or psychotherapy. However, all remedies must be prescribed by a doctor, including antidepressants. A good option would be a specialized sanatorium, which allows you to change the environment and conduct complex therapy.

Recovery of speech and memory

If the corresponding centers of the brain are damaged, the return of functions will be gradual. A speech therapist should deal with a patient who has lost speech, and relatives should constantly talk. Another obstacle on the way to full communication is the “freezing” of facial muscles, which is eliminated by the following exercises:

• grinning;
• folding the lips into a tube;
• light biting of the lips;
• pushing the tongue forward;
• licking lips in different directions.

The pronunciation of sounds is returned first, then words. Singing heard by the patient and attempts to reproduce it will be an excellent help. The patient can say part of the word so that he ends it. The repetition of rhymes and tongue twisters gives a good effect.

Taking certain medications helps to restore memory. The rest of the process resembles working with children and includes memorizing and repeating numbers and phrases, playing activities, board games that allow the patient to focus on one action. It is useful for a stroke survivor to remember and describe what happened to him over the last day, week, month, etc.

Return to normal life

Someone gets the opportunity to return to home conditions almost immediately, but much will inevitably undergo changes. New restrictions will appear, and familiar things will require re-getting used to them. It will be necessary to constantly measure blood pressure and adhere to all the recommendations of doctors. How to live after a stroke to stay healthy and avoid relapse?

Diet

The patient's diet should be balanced. There are no significant restrictions, but it may be advisable to predominate in food products that do not linger in the intestines and do not cause constipation, that is, vegetables, fruits, cereals. Less salty, sour and spicy foods will reduce the load on the urinary system. Avoiding coffee and tea from the diet will have a beneficial effect on blood pressure, and avoiding fatty foods and fast carbohydrates will help keep blood sugar levels normal, which will also reduce the risk of recurring stroke. Only one thing should be uncompromising - alcohol.

Citrus fruits and pine cone tincture are shown for those who have suffered a stroke - a folk remedy, phytoncides of which maintain a good state of nerve cells. It is also useful to drink an increased amount of liquid, 2-3 glasses per day.

Dwelling

After taking the patient home, relatives must strictly follow the recommendations of specialists on how to care for a patient after a stroke. Changes to an apartment can take a long time. We'll have to remove all dangerous objects that can fall on the patient. Carpets, wires, etc. may result in a fall. If the patient uses a walker or a wheelchair, it is necessary to provide him with free access to all rooms, to think about overcoming steps or thresholds.

More independence will be provided by handrails in the bathroom, a bench in the shower, a special toilet seat. A shower, by the way, is preferable to a bath. A thermometer in it will save a patient with decreased heat sensitivity from burns. Consider unbreakable dishes and small chairs for the patient to lean on. It will also be useful to install handrails by the bed and in general in any place where a stroke survivor will get up and sit down.

When walking outside the home on their own, it is worth equipping a person with a mobile one with a one-button call function in case of a fall or a repeated stroke.

Job

Here we are dealing with a double-edged sword. On the one hand, returning to this part of life will be an important part of socialization. On the other hand, mental changes and physical limitations may require early retirement or mastering a remote profession. It is important not to rush to return to the workplace, to make sure that the necessary capabilities are fully returned. If this is not the case, you should be optimistic about the time that is free for your favorite hobby and communication with your family.

Personal life

Sex for stroke survivors is not only acceptable, but also beneficial in terms of rehabilitation. Violation of motor skills, apathy, troubles from the genitourinary system may affect (potency and sensitivity decrease). However, with a successful combination of circumstances, an active sex life will help to establish an emotional state and make the patient happy again.

A stroke always attacks unexpectedly - this disease, like a bolt from the blue, can penetrate any home, any family. After the first shock subsided, first aid was provided and the phase of resignation with an unexpected disaster was passed, a tough and important question arises: how to organize the rehabilitation process?

Out of habit, first of all, all the attention is captured by new drugs, medicine seems to be the most important way to alleviate a person's condition, raise him to his feet, return to normal life, to the ability to self-service.

In practice, the rehabilitation of patients after a stroke consists in a huge complex complex, combining pills and many other procedures: massages, gymnastics, muscle development, training of vision, hearing and much more.

Most of the time, the most important things happen after you leave the hospital. This article is devoted to an important topic - it examines how to properly organize rehabilitation after a stroke at home. Contrary to popular belief that the main thing is expensive modern equipment, the results of home treatment are often much more impressive.

The speed and limits of patient recovery after a stroke

Often, close people responsible for rehabilitation really want to hear clear terms: after what time will the patient recover to a certain level?

Of course, this question is naive and is mainly dictated by the great stress people are experiencing. Clear deadlines seem to them to be a lifeline to grab onto in such a situation that unexpectedly fell on their shoulders.

No doctor can answer this question. The timing is so individual that sometimes it’s impossible to say until the last whether a person has approached the possible limit of recovery. Or there is still a long hard work ahead.

However, a large sample of case histories makes it possible to statistically compile the estimated timing of the average recovery rates. As a guideline, the type of stroke and the injuries (lost opportunities) of the patient are taken.

1. When, as a result of which the consequences can be attributed to very mild, minimal, expressed in minor impairments of neurological functions (for example, slight tremor of the limbs, slight paralysis of some muscles, mild visual impairment), the expected timing of the first visible results after one month of treatment is indicated. and full recovery can be expected within three to four months.
2. With any stroke, as a result of which the patient receives severe damage in terms of neurology, for example, paralysis of some muscles or limbs, loss of coordination in a pronounced form, and others - implies the possibility of a very moderate, partial recovery of some functions. It is possible to restore the patient to self-care, but you should not expect a complete recovery. This happens, but these cases are very rare and unpredictable.
3. Severe strokes of any kind do not imply complete recovery. The patient usually gets complete paralysis of one part of the body (left or right). On average, it takes about two years for the patient to learn to sit again, perhaps to develop somewhat paralyzed limbs, but full recovery is not possible.

This table is not the ultimate truth, but it allows you to roughly estimate the scale of the disaster. It should be noted separately: one can hope for the best, but prepare oneself for the worst, then, regardless of the results, neither the patient nor his relatives will experience deep depression about the unattained result. Which, unfortunately, is not uncommon for such severe and unexpected illnesses.

Often, patients are so disappointed in the results that conventional therapy gives that they begin to resort to various not very scientific methods. Is it possible to refuse those methods that are offered by conventional doctors? It is reliably known that, for example, recovery from a stroke without the use of modern drugs is sometimes encountered in practice.

In fact, the specified recovery periods are wrong. Once people have suffered a stroke, they are forced to engage in a rehabilitation complex for life, which is very difficult.

Recovery: important nuances

How to recover from a stroke, bypassing the pitfalls that almost all patients stumble upon?

Depression

Sometimes, as a result of a stroke, important neurons in the brain are damaged, which are responsible not only for motor functions, vision, but also for mood. The person falls into a severe depression.

Many believe that this is logical and associated with a serious illness, more emotionally than physically, but this is not so. Such depression can only be overcome with medication, psychologist or psychiatrist therapy, and the help of relatives.

Depression is expressed in the fact that a person does not believe in life after a stroke, does not show interest in restorative procedures, and it seems that he does not want to recover at all. Often, relatives, tired of this state of affairs, exhausted by the unexpected misfortune that has fallen on them, take offense at the patient and also tend to "lag behind, because he himself does not want to."

It is important to understand that this attitude to reality is also. The patient is not to blame and is unable to do anything about it. Those involved in the process will have to take this with understanding.

Waves

The patient's recovery process does not go on constantly - progressively, but in waves. It is highly likely that it will recover in spurts. Often it gets on the nerves of all participants in the process: still, you try, you try, but there is no return.

It is important to understand that this state of affairs is natural. Moreover, after a significant improvement, there is often a wave-like retracement back. This is also not the most pleasant thing: yesterday everything was fine with you, but today it is a failure. Hands down!

It is necessary to maintain the fighting spirit not only of the patient, but also your own, if you are a relative who helps a loved one in this difficult matter. You should not doubt the result - if there are doubts, you will definitely feel it.

Now let's go over the main problems that arise for almost everyone who is faced with stroke patients.

Several factors can make the recovery process difficult. For example, the whole therapy is often slowed down by concomitant diseases: the patient cannot do something, there is no strength for something. Unfortunately, there is no ideal patient. A competent doctor will take into account all these nuances, explain them to relatives and help draw up a rehabilitation program after discharge.

Memory recovery

How to restore memory after a stroke is the first task that arises as you review the front of upcoming work. Memory loss is a common and very unpleasant phenomenon.

Memory loss is not only about forgetting information. Memorization processes are often disrupted, that is, new information is also quickly lost. Rehabilitation after a stroke should help restore these processes.

Memory is divided into three types:

1. Working memory is what a person remembers for a short time. For example, you perfectly remember which office you left five minutes ago, having completed the documents, and in six months this information will be lost in your memory. The brain considered it unnecessary to write down this information for a long time and preferred to throw it away as unnecessary so as not to clutter up the memory.
2. Short-term memory is the next step. This is what you remember, not quite deciding whether you need it for a long time or not. So, the student sits all night over the tickets, carefully memorizing them, so that at lunchtime after the exam he will forget this information forever - or not forget, but, on the contrary, strengthen it with repetitions, transferring short-term memory to the long-term memory department.
3. Long-term memory is what we remember for a long, very long time.

Depending on what type of memory was damaged by the stroke, the consequences are different. When short-term memory is destroyed, the very mechanism of creating neural connections is damaged, and this is very difficult. A person cannot memorize new information, while what was long ago, he perfectly remembers, since long-term memory remained intact.

Another common case is damage to long-term memory. In this case, the loss of all memory in whole or in large chunks is possible (meaning the loss of long-term memory, that is, long-standing events and fundamental knowledge).

So, the problems that the patient after a stroke, associated with memory, are usually expressed in the form of difficulty with remembering. A phone number, a shopping list, important little things - all of this causes big problems. And there are also very common cases when they stop memorizing visual information. And then it translates into problems with the recognition of faces, objects, streets. Such patients can get lost in a familiar yard or stop recognizing the closest people.

1. Muscle development to increase muscle tone. Moreover, even complete paralysis of a limb should not cause the urge to put an end to it: even in this case, mobility can be restored. And even in an easier situation with a simple loss of tone, you can even count on a complete recovery.
2. Prolonged immobility can lead to bedsores, blood clots, stagnation of fluids, and edema. Regular gymnastics allows you to either completely remove these consequences, or reduce their intensity.
3. Improvement of tissue circulation, which is greatly affected by a stroke.
4. Muscle contractures are a common occurrence with immobility of the limbs, paralysis, and they can only be avoided with the help of exercise therapy.
5. As a result of the movement, the normal functioning of the body is restored. After all, this is all very interconnected: in order for the internal organs of a person to work well, he needs to constantly move. Then the blood circulates normally throughout the body, and the body itself works like a clock. Unfortunately, a stroke reduces the functions of the body or completely deprives the patient of such a natural mechanism. You can partially replace it with physiotherapy exercises.

Exercise therapy needs to be diluted with special massage, manual therapy, physiotherapy - all this in combination makes the body systems work from the outside.

Swallowing reflex

Another important problem is how to restore the swallowing reflex after a stroke if it has been lost - after all, without it, the normal functioning of the body, home regime and self-care is impossible!

A disease in which swallowing becomes impossible or difficult is called dysphagia. With such a disease, the mobility of the tongue is limited, salivation may occur, the muscles of the pharynx do not obey the owner well. As a result, the pharyngeal reflex is lost or insufficiently pronounced.

In order for the function to recover, it is necessary to perform exercises related to the restoration of the subordination of the muscles of the oral cavity and pharynx. Tongue movements, chewing food and others. All this is possible only if the patient can raise his head and hold it in this position for at least a short time (in the case of a completely lying patient). If he cannot hold his head, first of all, attention should be paid to this particular factor.

Until the reflex is restored, you need to feed the patient with special food, which does not need to be thoroughly chewed, in small portions. In the most difficult situations, the probe can be used.

Loss of sight

Sometimes a stroke is expressed in complete or partial loss of vision. One eye can be blind, and both. How to restore vision after a stroke – this is another important task from the list of those that need to be solved to restore the patient's standard of living.

In order to solve this problem, you need to take a special list of exercises from an ophthalmologist, which consist in the correct movements of the eyeball and massage the eyes with your hands. It may take a long time to exercise before the first signs of recovery and tangible results appear. Therefore, here you have to stock up on patience and willpower.

Remember that only consistent, regular implementation of the recommendations gives results. The help of relatives and close people is of great importance - it is from them that the patient will draw the will to win when his own reserves are depleted.

But teamwork will give results even in the most difficult case. Any doctor will say that the result will be only when the general attitude of the patient and his assistants is positive.

Remember that a stroke patient most of all needs a strong shoulder of people who believe in him.

Cardiologist

Higher education:

Cardiologist

Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekova, Faculty of Medicine (KBSU)

Education level - Specialist

Additional education:

"Cardiology"

GOU "Institute for Advanced Training of Doctors" of the Ministry of Health and Social Development of Chuvashia

Postponed brain damage is often accompanied by the appearance of serious negative consequences for the victim's health. And this is not accidental, because it is the brain that bears a significant share of responsibility for the future life of a person, his physical and psycho-emotional capabilities. And the behavior after a stroke, which has a negative effect on both the brain tissue and the general condition of the patient, largely depends on the health of the victim, his ability to quickly recover. Dementia, often occurring or aggravated by stroke, occurs in about 65-85% of patients. At the same time, gender practically does not matter, and the age subject to the greatest negative impact is people over 50-65 years old.

Post-stroke dementia is a common manifestation of post-stroke recovery. At the same time, the rate of development of dementia is several times higher in comparison with the existing insufficient blood circulation in the tissues of the brain. This is due to severe damage to the circulatory system, which is diagnosed in stroke. The greatest danger is a stroke, which affects the tissues in the areas responsible for the intellectual and mental activity of the brain.

Factors influencing the development of dementia in stroke

The onset of dementia is often associated with reaching a certain age, when there is a deterioration in the general functioning of the human body, due to diseases of a chronic and acute nature accumulated with age, the resistance to infections and diseases decreases. At the same time, the weakening of the brain is accompanied by significant changes, which are characterized by a weakening of memory, a decrease in concentration of attention, and complications when performing certain physical actions.

However, there are a number of factors that are more capable of provoking manifestations of dementia. They affect a person to the greatest extent in the period after a stroke, when the weakening of the body occurs to a greater extent. Such provoking factors include:

• diabetes;
• advanced stages of atherosclerosis;
• hormonal imbalance;
• arterial hypertension;
• heart failure.

In addition to the listed provoking factors, there are a number of reasons that can also cause a weakening of the body and cause an accelerated course of dementia against the background of a stroke. These are bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking), which negatively affect primarily the circulatory and cardiac systems, as well as a low educational level, several recurring periods of cerebrovascular accident.

Old age should also be attributed to the probable reasons for the detection of dementia, however, against the background of such a serious lesion as a stroke, this pathological condition is aggravated. Senile dementia can manifest itself in various symptoms, which largely depend on the individual characteristics of the organism and the degree of neglect of the condition.

Main symptoms

Behavior after a stroke can vary from person to person. For some, only a change in physical and practical skills is characteristic, others note a weakening of mental functions. And in some cases, a combination of both manifestations is possible, when the patient's physical capabilities are disturbed, and there is a gradual extinction of the main psychoemotional factors, on which the quality of daily life largely depends - both for the victim after a stroke and his immediate environment.

Symptoms that characterize disturbances in the physical plane in the onset of dementia include:

• change in gait - the patient feels uncertainty in his movements, as a result of which the gait loses confidence, it may seem staggering, the direction of movement changes sharply;
• deterioration in the process of controlling one half of the body (which is most common);
• urinary incontinence (about 30% of cases after a stroke with the development of dementia).

With psychoemotional problems in the process of aggravating dementia, the manifestation of such lesions as mood lability is likely, a tendency to depressive conditions appears, a pronounced deterioration in speech, writing, reading is possible. There may be changes in the perception of the surrounding world, reality. Disorders in thinking, in assessing the phenomena that are taking place, are all manifestations of the consequences of the development of dementia after a stroke.

There is a definite relationship between the manifestations of dementia that occurs after a stroke and the intellectual level of the patient's development to the state of the disease. With a high level of intellectual development, manifestations are revealed to a somewhat lesser extent; at a low level of intellectual development, manifestations of senile dementia are observed to a greater extent.

Dependence of manifestations on the site of localization of brain damage

The area of \u200b\u200bbrain damage largely determines both the degree of manifestation of the consequences in the form of dementia, and the direction of the lesions:

1. If the focus of a stroke is located in the cerebral cortex, then such deviations as disorders in orientation in space, speech and motor activity disorders are especially often detected. Loss of practical skills, gradual fading of self-awareness can also be diagnosed.
2. With the localization of the site of the focus of stroke in the subcortical structures, violations are more manifested in the psychoemotional state of the patient. This is expressed in frequent mood swings, the predominance of depressive states, the patient gradually loses his normal facial expressions (this is expressed in violent laughter and crying), the possibility for a normal manifestation of emotions for a healthy person decreases.

In some cases, a combination of the first and second signs of damage is noted, while the intensity of the progression of the pathological condition is largely determined by the presence of parallel current physiological diseases.

Dementia, which is a special type of disease that results from damage to a specific part of the brain, also requires treatment. This allows you to eliminate the aggravation of pathological processes noted in the brain tissues, to correct the behavior and actions of the patient, as well as to carry out treatment in order to restore normal behavior and daily activities.

Features of the therapeutic effect

Since after a stroke, the brain suffers to a greater extent, the therapeutic effect should be aimed primarily at restoring the normal functioning of its tissues. In this case, various techniques can be used, providing the most comprehensive approach to obtain the most pronounced positive result.

The most effective measures in the treatment of senile dementia after a stroke include the following:

• medicinal effect, which is expressed in the intake of nootropic drugs. They stimulate brain activity, provide improved nutrition for its tissues. With their help, the protective potential of the brain increases. These drugs include Piracetam and Nootropin;
• tranquilizers and antidepressants, stabilizing the psychological state of the patient. However, their use should be carried out under the strict supervision of the attending physician and taking into account the receipt of a pronounced positive dynamics of the treatment process;

• vitamin complexes, which also help to quickly eliminate the consequences of brain disorders and stimulate the rapid restoration of lost brain functions;
• drugs to improve the blood supply to brain tissues are Tavegil, Cavinton;
• complex use of medicines to stabilize thought processes, improve memory - Memantine;
• carrying out sessions of physiotherapy exercises and massage, which eliminate muscle tightness, stimulate blood circulation, which allows the body to gradually return to normal physical condition;
• psychotherapy, providing psychological assistance to a patient who has suffered a stroke.

As a prevention of recurrence of stroke and aggravation of the current manifestations of senile dementia (dementia), one should first of all eliminate bad habits, stabilize the patient's daily life, organize a healthy diet, give his body regular physical activity, which should be normalized in accordance with his general condition.

Prognosis after stroke with dementia

The prognosis of survival after stroke for patients who develop dementia is three times worse in comparison with those patients who did not develop dementia after suffering a stroke. However, with adequate care, regular medical monitoring, and a physician-prescribed treatment regimen, a faster recovery to a stable condition is possible.