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 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 a man to learn how to swallow, eat food, control his 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 on to a fixed support with your healthy hand, 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 wheelchair 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.
After severe stress, the woman 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. Reconstruction 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 was constantly slipping away, only six months later the ability to think logically returned. The speech therapist recommended reading newspapers aloud to restore speech, 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, because I was capturing 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, 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 her 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. In the hospital where she was sent, the doctors infected her with optimism, they promised that by the New Year she would run. 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, she began to learn to walk, in her 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 there 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, crumpled 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 even 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.
2 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 hard at first. 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 have fun from 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 man at 78 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, speech and memory were restored. All the neighbors were amazed, no one thought he would be able to 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 unconscious in the bathhouse for 16 hours, 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 away from himself 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 is a disease of the brain that occurs due to impaired blood circulation in it. As a result, neurons cease to receive sufficient amounts of nutrients and oxygen, which leads to their death.

The consequences of the disease can be different - from minor violations to death. The article will consider how long people usually live after a stroke, whether there is a chance of full recovery, and how to achieve a speedy recovery.

For this, it is important to take into account several factors at the same time.

There are two main types of stroke - ischemic and hemorrhagic. Each of them has its own causes, symptoms, consequences and predictions. Let us consider both diseases and compare them in terms of the consequences for the patient and the degree of danger.

1. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to intoxication, lack of vitamins, inflammation in the vessels of the brain. In this situation, the integrity of the vessel walls is violated, the blood penetrates under the lining of the brain and into its ventricles. Violation of the blood supply leads to dangerous consequences. Often this pathology is called intracerebral hemorrhage. The disease is very difficult to treat, but if the patient learns to follow a certain discipline in terms of nutrition and treatment, he can recover.
2. Ischemic stroke occurs due to a violation of the patency of the vessels of the brain and the subsequent death of neurons due to the lack of oxygen. The people call this disease "cerebral infarction." It can be triggered by a number of other pathologies - heart rhythm failure, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus. The greatest risk of such brain damage is in people who suffer from high or low blood pressure, obesity.

How long they live after suffering a brain disease depends on several factors. Both hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes are a real blow not only to the brain, but also to the body as a whole, therefore, even with adequate treatment, the patient will not be able to become completely healthy: recovery will be only partial.

How long do people live after a stroke

What is the life expectancy of the average person after a stroke? This question worries most people with such a diagnosis. The patient's future life, its quality and rhythm depend on the answer to this question.

After all, you will definitely have to change a number of habits and follow certain rules in order to recover as quickly as possible. Traditionally, life expectancy has not been significantly reduced, although, as medical statistics show, stroke survivors generally live 3-6 years less. The average duration is about 65-70 years, provided that the doctor's recommendations are unconditionally followed.

Statistics say that life after a stroke is different, and you have to make an effort to fully recover. As for mortality, the following statistics exist:

• before the age of 45, no more than a quarter of all patients with this diagnosis die;
• after 50 years, the indicator rises to 40%;
• after 70 years, only 20% of patients can survive a stroke (without the possibility of full recovery).

Aggravating factors

Most often, the fairer sex suffers from this disease, but it also happens in men. 40% of patients need rehabilitation measures, and 50% of this number remain disabled for life. It is especially difficult for people who are at risk. The following factors increase the likelihood of having a stroke:

• hypertension;
• previously transferred microstroke (more about it)
• obesity;
• diabetes;
• vascular diseases;
• abuse of alcohol, coffee, tobacco;
• increased physical activity;
• emotional stress;
• uncontrolled intake of certain groups of drugs;
• pregnancy;
• traumatic brain injury;
• mental disorders;
• old age.

To prevent ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, in the presence of at least one of the above risk factors, it is necessary to undergo regular preventive examinations and, if necessary, go to the hospital for treatment. In the first months after a stroke, recovery is faster than later.

Factors affecting life expectancy after stroke

The subsequent life after a stroke will depend on the type of disease, the degree of damage and the presence of additional background diseases. There are a number of circumstances that can both facilitate and complicate the course of the underlying disease and the process of regenerating brain cells. So, here are the key factors that have a direct impact on the healing process:

1. The affected area. It affects the future life of the patient. In the case of extensive damage, the cells are damaged so much that they can no longer be restored. Because of this, the functioning of the brain is disrupted, which leads to malfunctions in the work of other systems and organs and even to the death of the patient.
2. The consequences of a stroke. Patients suffering from paralysis, impaired speech function, sensitivity, mental disorders are unlikely to be able to lead a normal and fulfilling life. If they manage to recover, it will be only partially. The prognosis is unfavorable because these conditions lead to bedsores, intoxication, and other complications. All these phenomena significantly shorten life expectancy.
3. Age features. Older people are least likely to recover from a stroke. The fact is that their cells do not have the ability to quickly renew, they often develop inflammatory processes, vascular pathologies, repeated hemorrhages, heart attacks. Even if patients manage to survive the attack itself, in case of nervous overstrain, an attack of hypertension, there is a risk of a second stroke. In addition, women are much more likely to recover than men, due to their physiological characteristics. Therefore, the general condition of the patient also depends on age and gender.
4. Prolonged immobility. When a patient recovers from a stroke, he is often deprived of the ability to move due to paralysis, paresis. If you neglect the implementation of the rehabilitation program, the muscles gradually lose their tone, the blood supply to the internal organs worsens. This leads to thrombosis, tissue necrosis, and intoxication. Therefore, the condition worsens even more, inflammation, infectious processes, cardiovascular diseases develop. Such a patient has much less time left to live than a person who regularly moves, does exercises and has a positive attitude.
5. Localization of the disease. Of course, the prognosis directly depends on the localization of the affected areas. Ischemia can affect the tissues that supply blood to the carotid artery, the basilar and vertebral arteries, as well as their branches. In addition, ischemic cerebral stroke is the most dangerous condition that reduces the chances of survival. Hemorrhagic stroke most often affects the shell (in 55% of cases), the thalamus, cerebellum, brain stem.

No one can give an unambiguous answer to the question related to life expectancy after a stroke. This is due to the individual characteristics of each organism. However, according to statistics, about 35% of deaths occur in the first month after the illness, and 50% of patients die during the first year. In any case, one recommendation should be adhered to: lead a healthy lifestyle. It is he who will allow you to avoid complications, prolong life and make it more complete.

Post-stroke lifestyle

In order for life after a stroke to be not only long, but also happy, it is necessary to consult a specialist in a timely manner. This step is relevant for those who are only at risk, and for those who have already had a brain disease. The doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination and suggest an individual course of therapy and prevention. It can include:

• taking medications,
• cure of chronic pathologies that aggravate the general condition;
• diet food,
• massage,
• physiotherapy,
• surgical intervention.

After taking adequate and timely measures, we should talk about complete recovery and prevention of the appearance of foci of inflammation. After all, the disease often ends in disability or death due to the reason that in 70% of cases, patients postpone a visit to the doctor indefinitely.

Recovery period

Recovery from a postponed pathology involves the use of certain medications. These are tablets, drops, injections, solutions. Most often, doctors prescribe neurostimulants, coagulants, nootropic drugs, etc. Traditionally, the duration of the course is at least 5 months, and it is important that the administration continues even when the disease recedes and the symptoms subside. Medical therapy carried out under the supervision of a physician provides:

• restoration of damaged cells;
• regulation of metabolic processes;
• improving the supply of brain cells with oxygen;
• activation of blood circulation in the damaged area.

If a person stops taking these drugs after a stroke, the damaged parts of the brain will not fully recover, and the body will not be able to fully function. If you refuse to take drugs that stop seizures, this will lead to a relapse of the disease and, quite possibly, to death or coma.

In the first month, the rehabilitation of patients involves the following activities:

• stay in a specialized department of the hospital for 2-4 weeks, depending on the degree of damage;
• restoration of brain cells located next to the lesion focus, with the help of special medical measures;
• restoration of muscle work. This requires therapeutic exercises, moderate physical activity;
• massage.

If the above measures have had the desired effect, doctors proceed to the stage of discharge and subsequent rehabilitation, which includes:

• restoration of speech function through special exercises;
• adherence to the principles of proper nutrition;
• regular walks in the fresh air.

Compliance with a therapeutic diet is the basis for rehabilitation after a stroke. This is especially true in situations when the patient is overweight or has high blood sugar. The menu should include foods with a large amount of fiber, as well as follow the principle of fractional nutrition (eating food in small portions, but often). The following products are prohibited:

• pork and other fatty meats;
• high fat fish;
• smoked products;
• sausages;
• dairy products with a high percentage of fat;
• baking, pastries;
• grapes;
• legumes (lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas, beans);
• soda;
• tea and coffee.

It is best to give preference to a vegetarian diet (soups, stews, cereals). You can include dried fruits, herbal decoctions in the diet.

Such a diet will allow not only to get rid of excess weight, but also to normalize blood circulation, to prevent a recurrent stroke.

Prevention of recurrent stroke

The likelihood of a second attack increases if the simplest recovery rules are not followed. During the first few days after the illness, special attention must be paid to prevent relapse. Each subsequent defeat is fraught with even more serious deviations in the work of the body and psyche. The most serious threat at this stage is death.

In order to avoid such consequences, it is necessary to find out the causes of the disease, carry out a number of preventive procedures, and coordinate restorative measures with a doctor. Next, you should take the medication prescribed by your doctor and have regular checkups.

An important role is played by the rejection of bad habits (alcohol consumption, smoking), prohibited foods (sweets, smoked meats, instant food) and adherence to a diet, since not only the likelihood of a second attack, but also the general state of health depends on nutrition. In addition, there are a number of rules, following which will reduce the risk of relapse:

• changing eating habits;
• getting rid of extra pounds;
• regular walking;
• physical education;
• treatment of chronic diseases;
• constant supervision by a doctor.

The doctor will tell each patient individually how to do what to do to prolong life and improve its quality. He will also set the maximum allowable blood pressure that needs to be maintained.

In addition, the doctor will make a list of medications that need to be taken for a speedy recovery. In order to reduce the likelihood of relapse, you should take a blood test and determine the glucose content in it. This will reduce the chances of having another stroke.

Thus, each patient lives after a stroke for a different number of years. This mainly depends on his gender, age, degree of damage as a result of the disease, localization of the lesion and other factors.

A competent approach to rehabilitation and prevention of recurrent stroke guarantees not only an increase in life expectancy, but also an improvement in the general condition. The patient will be able to return to his usual rhythm and feel great.

Occurs due to circulatory disorders in the brain. As a result, neurons in a certain area stop receiving nutrients and oxygen and die off. Quite often, after an attack, a person dies. But there are people who not only continue to live, but also return to work. In such people, most of the functions are restored. But still, they will never become completely healthy.

Is it realistic to live a full life after a stroke

The critical age for a stroke is 60 years. But in recent years, the disease has become so young that even people after 30 suffer from it. How long do you live after a stroke? The body of each person is individual, all people suffer ailment in different ways. Some people are able to work, although they become less active than it was before the illness. Others, after all that they have suffered, learn to walk again. It is necessary to support yourself as much as possible, to limit yourself in certain matters. Then the person has a chance to recover faster.

The sufferer is shown:

• special exercises;
• regular classes;
• psychological help;
• moral support.

Hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, which one is more dangerous

Hemorrhagic stroke

A person affected by the disease must at first exclude the possibility of relapse. There are two types of ailment: and ischemic. The causes of brain damage vary according to these species. Ischemic happens due to blockage of blood vessels. The disease has a popular name "cerebral infarction." Some diseases are the causes that caused it. These are diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, heart rhythm disturbances. People suffering from hypertension and having many extra centimeters at the waist are at risk of developing this type of disease.

Hemorrhagic stroke occurs due to vitamin deficiency, cerebrovascular defects, intoxication. Depending on the type of ailment and the reasons that caused it, the doctor prescribes to the patient a number of specific procedures and rules that must be followed. If the person is disciplined and follows the advice of the doctor, then the opportunity will be minimized. As for bad habits, they will have to be abandoned immediately. and alcohol is prohibited. The latter and a healthy person should not be consumed in large quantities. And nobody should smoke at all.

The patient, in order for his life to be long, should take care of himself. He can change his diet.

Age is not a hindrance to moderate physical activity. There are exercises that can be done and walking is very beneficial. It will not hurt to get rid of extra pounds. The doctor will advise the patient what the maximum blood pressure should be and the set mark should not be exceeded. The person begins to take medications. Often, the action of drugs is aimed at preventing blood clots and reducing blood clotting. The amount of glucose in the blood should be optimal. In order for a stroke to cause a minimum of trouble, medical experts advise the patient to spend some time in the hospital. It is in honey. institution, the process of treatment and rehabilitation will be optimal. Doctors use remedial gymnastics to recover the patient. Medicines are used. The load increases daily. The first time is shown, rubbing, using electrical devices to stimulate muscle work.

Help and support from relatives is an important factor for recovery

Exercise after a stroke

After suffering a stroke, people can recover quite well within a month in honey. institution. There are times when it takes a year or more to return to normal life. It is important that you do not stop doing the exercises prescribed by your doctor. The sufferer can live at home. The neurologist draws up an adaptation map for the patient. Following it, it is necessary to follow the procedures and. How many years they live after a stroke largely depends on loved ones. If the atmosphere in the house is positive. Relatives do their best to encourage the patient, believe in the success of the treatment and in his complete recovery, then the patient will quickly get out of the state of psychological shock and he will feel much better. The first year of rehabilitation is the most important. This is followed by a period of adaptation of the sufferer, he has already learned to put up with the functional disorders of his body. People understand that the world around them is ready to accept them as they have become. It is quite possible to find something to do for yourself and not sit around and live many more happy years, if you take care.

Depression after a past illness

How long a person whose functions are limited due to the death of brain neurons can live largely depends on himself. It is necessary to deal with bouts of depression, which may well occur in the sufferer. The patient does not want to see anyone, he lives in his closed world, does not want to move. Maybe antidepressants can help to get rid of your bad mood. Experts explain to the patient that he can live many good moments, he is needed on the ground, it is not easy to survive a severe attack, but it is real to get out.

What can a person do after everything they have suffered

Human physical capabilities are limited. But, oddly enough, for some, the disease helps to begin to appreciate life, even if previously they were not able to do this. There are loads of things to do. You can appear in public places, visit restaurants, theaters. You can do all the work you can, or just help the household. If a person was very fond of digging in the country, in the garden, then after the suffering he has experienced, he can devote himself to caring for indoor plants. Previously favorite activities can be replaced with similar and feasible ones.

Stroke attack, how long do they live after

people experience easier, 75% of them survive. But the hemorrhagic look is more dangerous. As many as 65% of people may not make it out. According to statistics, 35% of people have lived for more than a year. Why does this happen, especially if the patient received timely medical assistance? The fact is that even in the first month of treatment, about 15-25% of people do not survive. The resulting complications are the reason for such statistics. Cerebral edema is one of the reasons. Heart disease, kidney failure, pneumonia are other causes. The sufferer is able to survive after the first stroke and recover well enough, but if such a disease strikes again, then the mortality rate increases markedly, recovery is even more difficult than in the first case. After a stroke, a person until the end of his days:

• shown a diet;
• you need to monitor the pressure;
• follow the recommendations of doctors;
• take regular walks;
• you will have to forget about bad habits.

A person who has suffered a stroke is at risk, he may have a recurrence at any time.

He strongly depends on what the doctor has prescribed for him and if you neglect this, then death will overtake quickly.

Video

Stroke is a serious illness that adversely affects the normal functioning of a person. The brain center loses its properties - the nerve cells of the brain associated with coordination, motor, speech and visual functions die. Rehabilitation after a stroke at home takes an important place in the treatment of pathology.

The terms of rehabilitation after a stroke depend on the location and size of the lesion focus of the "gray matter", the time from the development of the pathology to the provision of medical care. Forecasts are disappointing if the value of the listed indicators is high enough. These patients have to be looked after throughout their lives to prevent them from getting worse.

How long does it take to recover from a stroke:

1. Ischemic pathology with minimal damage to the nervous system, the consequences - a slight paralysis of the hands, toes, impaired movement, dizziness, damage to the visual organ. Partial rehabilitation up to 2 months, complete up to 90 days.
2. Various types of stroke with severe deficiency (persistent impairment of coordination, severe paralysis). Pre-treatment is carried out longer than with mild brain damage and takes six months; sometimes the patient cannot fully recover.
3. Severe hemorrhagic and ischemic pathologies with persistent damage to the nervous system (disability, other disorders). Partial rehabilitation with the ability to sit without assistance - up to 2 years, most often it is completely impossible to recover.

The terms of rehabilitation and complex therapy depend on the severity of the stroke. Patients who have undergone need a longer and more serious treatment in a hospital setting.

With gross damage to the nervous system, it is not always possible to guarantee the full restoration of vital functions, for the reason that some brain cells die, neighboring healthy neurons cannot replace them. Therefore, rehabilitation after a stroke will take a long time; in most cases, patients undergo treatment throughout their lives.

The terms of rehabilitation depend on many factors.

Patient's chances of full recovery

Whether or not it is possible to recover from a stroke depends on the focus of localization and its size. If the pathology is one-sided and affects only one part of the brain centers, the patient loses the ability to lead a normal life in part - he does not see well, does not know what is happening.

Timeliness, as well as the correctness of the provision of first aid for stroke, plays a fundamental role in the return of lost working capacity. It takes about 2-3 hours from the moment of vessel blockage and cessation of nutrition of the brain to tissue necrosis. If the blood circulation process is not normalized during this time, the chances of restoration of motor functions are minimal.

When after a stroke, hospital and home rehabilitation is unlikely:

• with damage to the active epicenters of the brain, in particular - the nerve stem bundle. In this situation, coma or death occurs;
• with significant lesions - lacunar stroke more than 5 mm;
• elderly patients after 70 years;
• in patients with severe chronic diseases, with poor health due to the use of alcoholic beverages, drugs.

After a stroke, the chances of recovery depend on medical care. To maximize the result, the doctor will recommend strict adherence to the treatment regimen so that the consequences of an attack are minimal.

For minimal consequences of an attack, you must strictly follow the treatment regimen

Fundamental principles of therapy

After a stroke, exercise therapy starts in the very first days of rehabilitation, as soon as the person's condition allows him to perform light physical exercises. The recovery period is a set of procedures aimed at restoring the patient's lost functions as a result of the disease.

Principles of treating patients after stroke:

1. Early rehabilitation, which is carried out from the first day of the attack (if the patient's condition allows) to accelerate the restoration of lost functions, to prevent the formation of secondary consequences (thrombophlebitis, pneumonia, pressure sores, muscle tissue dystrophy).
2. Treatment starts at the neurology department and continues at a specialized center.
3. Patients and relatives should participate in the recovery process, including when doing exercises, recommendations at home.

The prognosis of the rehabilitation of patients with stroke is determined by the localization, the size of the injured area of \u200b\u200bthe "gray matter", as well as the completeness and accuracy of the procedures recommended by doctors.

Stages of recovery after an attack

Doctors distinguish between several periods of treatment - the first three months, up to six months, and from 6 months to a year. You need to understand what role medical rehabilitation plays in providing psychological support, measures to restore vital functions, brain activity, locomotor apparatus, memory.

Treatment measures for the first 3 months

Early treatment of the disease consists in stabilizing the patient's physical and emotional state. As soon as the human body overcomes the first consequences of an attack, relatives will be able to take the patient home. At first, he will need full care, peace.

Patients who have suffered a stroke should be immediately accustomed to the correct daily routine, vital functions are better restored in the first weeks after the attack:

• sit down on your own, then rise. By the end of the first period, the patient must partially dress, take care of himself;
• at this time the main place is occupied by physical rehabilitation - gymnastics for bedridden patients, massage. If a limb is paralyzed, it must be developed 2-3 times / day in order to restore its mobility;
• by the end of the second month, a person begins to get up, keep balance. It is necessary to purchase a walker or other support for him, he should not walk without it.

Shows a set of exercise therapy exercises for extension and flexion of the joints, various movements of the shoulder, knees. Facial gymnastics also plays an important role in paralyzed muscle tissue.

Treatment measures from 3 months to six months

When the patient has learned to partially do without outside help, he can move by public transport, move away from home at a certain distance. The patient continues to do arm and leg exercises after a stroke. He is allowed to take long walks in the fresh air, but with a mobile phone.

At the end of this stage of rehabilitation, the patient needs to give up outside help when walking, walkers, learn to use tableware and writing utensils, and perform exercises after a stroke at home to strengthen muscle tissue.

Therapeutic measures after six months

The rehabilitation program is already yielding results: the patient's body, psychological state is gradually recovering, he can move freely, the damaged hand is functioning normally. Speech is a little slower, but not so confused. Recovering memory from a stroke will also take some time.

The best physical exercise at this time is the development of fine motor skills: washing dishes, buttoning, knitting, embroidery.

According to statistics, after suffering an attack, 85% of patients return to their normal life after 1.5 years. Of these, more than half of the people recovered after 4 months, subject to systematic self-care and proper treatment.

It takes a lot of work on yourself

Patient home care

It is necessary to prepare for the patient's arrival, as he needs peace and a comfortable environment that will help the restoring body feel comfortable. What items will the patient need for normal activities:

1. Pampers, ship.
2. Medical diapers.
3. Mattresses, anti-bedsore circles.
4. Comfortable chair, support near the bed.

Several times a day, a person needs to be washed, helped to brush teeth, treat mucous membranes, and clean the auricles. Keep your bed free from folds to help prevent pressure sores. The body can be lubricated with cream or solution (a glass of vodka, a liter of pure water, 200 ml of shampoo). The position of the body should be changed every 3 hours.

In the absence of a swallowing, chewing reflex, the food is ground into gruel and given to the patient through cocktail sticks; baby purees are also suitable. It is impossible to force-feed a person, this will cause a gag reflex. If you have no appetite, you can offer your favorite food in small portions 6 times / day.

If a person moves without assistance, first of all he needs to sit more often. The first 2-3 days - several minutes, with a gradual increase in time. The second stage is to take an upright position, take walks, and do exercises to recover from a stroke. You should move with the help of a special support.

If the swallowing and chewing reflex is difficult, the food is crushed

Food and therapeutic diet

The patient should eat only complete, healthy food. His daily diet during the rehabilitation phase includes:

• vegetable oils - soybean, rapeseed, sunflower, olive (no more than 120 g / day);
• seafood - at least 2 times / week;
• fresh fruits, vegetables, rich in folic acid and fiber from 400 g / day;
• water - up to two liters (in the absence of contraindications);
• blueberries, bananas;
• fish, meat, dairy products are consumed in small quantities, preference should be given to low-fat varieties.

A serious disease associated with dysfunction of the brain - a stroke, how it is treated, can only be suggested by a qualified doctor. The whole body as a whole should recover after an attack.

The food preparation procedure must be correct, as well as the rehabilitation methods:

1. Food is boiled, stewed or steamed.
2. All fat is removed.
3. The diet should be supplemented with legumes.
4. Potatoes and meat are allowed to be consumed no more than 3 times a week, they are baked.
5. Cereals - oatmeal, rice (brown), wheat, bran.
6. Eliminate spicy smoked foods, bread, sweets, baked goods (they increase cholesterol).

It is possible to recover from a stroke at home, provided that all the doctor's recommendations are followed. Salt should be completely abandoned or reduced. Alcoholic drinks are completely prohibited. Your doctor may advise you to drink red house wine, but within the safe limits.

After a stroke, the brain functions with impairment, nerve cells are damaged, which manifests itself in memory loss, speech, and other psychological and motor dysfunctions.

Methods for treating various forms of strokes are selected by the doctor individually for each patient, as well as recommendations for care. Proper care will help prevent the negative consequences of the disease.

How to recover from a stroke for a patient:

• avoid excessive stress;
• if an arm or leg becomes numb during sleep, a roller or pillow should be placed under them;
• use a paralyzed limb more often;
• it is better to do exercises in silence, without strangers.

The first 7-14 days after discharge from the hospital, if there are no other appointments, training should consist only in changing the position of the body. After that, passive gymnastics is recommended, the goal of which is to prepare, relax the muscles.

When a person begins to move independently, physiotherapeutic methods of recovery after ischemic stroke are applied to him - manual therapy, massage, heat treatment, laser therapy, magnetotherapy, a course of group gymnastic approaches.

A set of exercises after a stroke includes:

1. Warm-up - squats, gentle stretching on toes, bends.
2. Alternation of loads - running, race walking.
3. A set of exercises on a stationary bike.

Therapeutic exercises after a stroke are performed according to an individual scheme. You cannot make adjustments yourself, a relapse is possible. Exercises that increase the spasticity of muscle tissue - squeezing the ball, rings are prohibited.

Sexual attraction returns about a few months after the illness. In some situations, an attack has a positive effect on a person's libido, the center and the hypothalamus, which is responsible for the release of hormones. Some patients lead a full sexual life even before the restoration of speech, but after consulting a doctor.

Key points in physical rehabilitation

The main task of the recovery stage is the return of motor activity to the limbs, on which neurological functions are closed in stroke. It is necessary to start rehabilitation from the first days after an attack.

Gymnastics and motor recovery

Gymnastics after a stroke at home is characterized by the following points:

• decreased muscle tone, tension;
• restoration of microcirculation;
• prevention of muscle frigidity;
• protection against bedsores, diaper rash;
• resumption of the functioning of the nervous system;
• before doing a new exercise, you should consult with a specialist;
• against the background of exercise therapy, even patients with the same problem recover in different ways, and therefore, increased loads are prohibited.

When performing exercises to restore fine motor functions, you can do gymnastics from the previous stages, especially if it is aimed at strengthening muscle tissue and contributing to overall development. To restore the movement of the legs and arms after a stroke, it is allowed to use not heavy dumbbells.

The patient should be engaged in physical education daily so that over time the body will return to normal. Exercise therapy continues throughout the rehabilitation period and after it. Exercises for the face after a stroke are also shown.

Treatment and prophylactic measures for recovery

Exercise to strengthen arms, legs and back will be required

Exercise therapy for stroke is aimed at strengthening the arms, legs and back, to prepare the patient for walking, short walks. How to quickly recover from a stroke on your own:

1. The man sits down, takes the bed with his hands. On inhalation, deflection in the back, the body should be stretched, tense. Relax on the way out. The charge consists of 10 approaches.
2. Exercise - the patient sits on a horizontal surface, feet at the level of the bed. Raise either the left or the right leg 2-3 times.
3. Reconstruction of the hand after a stroke. Take a sitting position. Put your hands back. While inhaling, bring the shoulder blades closer to each other, throw your head back. Relax on the way out.
4. Exercise for the hands. Make rotational movements in one direction and the other. Only 8-10 approaches.

After physical activity has recovered, one should proceed to exercises that are performed in a standing position. Their main goal is to neutralize neurological dysfunctions.

Restorative gymnastics after a stroke at the next stage looks like this:

• moving a small object off the tabletop or floor;
• while standing, lower your arms, raise them above your head while inhaling, stretching and leaning on your fingers, relax on exhalation, bend your body downward, lower it (2-3 approaches);
• a simple exercise is to bend the hands into a fist with an expander, moving them away from the body;
• starting position, standing, squatting to connect the feet, keep your back straight, do not tear your legs off the floor.

To restore muscle tissue, facial gymnastics is prescribed in order to prevent consequences such as paralysis. Sometimes rehabilitation takes a long time. The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the disease.

The treatment regimen includes mandatory gymnastics for the muscles of the face

Treatment and medical monitoring after an attack

Whether it is possible to fully recover from a stroke depends on the location of the lesion, its severity and the timeliness of first aid. The complex therapy of acute cerebrovascular accident includes the following medications:

1. Restoration of blood supply: "Pentoxifylline", "Cavinton", "Cerebrolysin".
2. Starting metabolism in brain tissues: "Solcoseryl", "Actovegin", "Ginkor Fort".
3. Medicines are nootropics that act on active centers: "Lucetam", "Piracetam", "Noofen".
4. Recovering from a stroke at home includes treatment with anticoagulants, which prevent the appearance of clots, thin the blood plasma - "Heparin", "Coumadin".
5. Other drugs that reduce the excitability of nerve centers, eliminate the stiffness of muscle tissue (muscle relaxants), herbal teas, folk remedies, antidepressants (Adaptol, Gidazepam).

All patients who have undergone are monitored in the hospital by a neurologist. An attack negatively affects a person's daily life, therefore, prolonged depression is likely. Patients need communication, support, constant contact with the world around them.

Lying patients after a stroke need to be told that they will recover. During depression, they may refuse outside help, including medical advice. In the absence of contact on his part, you should consult a psychologist, take antidepressants.

In the presence of a stroke patient, one cannot discuss his illness, but it is necessary to encourage his success. Relatives, as well as the patient, are shown positive emotions, relaxation in the form of meditation, sports, aromatherapy, massage. Perhaps the doctor will prescribe multivitamin complexes.

If the motor activity of the limbs is lost, only a specialist will be able to suggest how to restore the arm after a stroke after a comprehensive diagnosis and study of the clinical picture of the course of the disease. The result of treatment depends on both the patient himself and the medical care.

Update: October 2018

Currently, not only mortality from strokes is a huge problem, but also a high percentage of disability. Rehabilitation for people who have suffered a stroke is very important, as it allows you to reduce this percentage, as well as reduce the depth of neurological deficit.

Rehabilitation measures can reduce the patient's dependence on outsiders, which improves his quality of life, and is also important for his relatives.

In this article, we will consider what exactly the consequences of a stroke may be, what opportunities exist for their correction. You will become aware of the advantages of undergoing rehabilitation measures in a hospital, as well as what are the contraindications for this and what you can do at home.

Neuroplasticity or why you can recover from a stroke

The task of neurorehabilitation is restoration or, in the absence of the possibility of complete recovery, partial compensation of the disturbed functions of the nervous system.

This is based on complex mechanisms of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the ability of nerve tissue to restructure after damage.

It should be remembered that the area of \u200b\u200bthe brain that has suffered as a result of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke is not restored. Those nerve cells that have died will not recover. New neurons also don't appear. Therefore, restoration is possible only due to the fact that other neurons take over the function of the lost ones. This happens due to those neurons located near the lesion, in which irreversible changes have not occurred. This process is long, at this time various restructuring takes place both at the structural and biochemical levels. It should also be borne in mind that with a large brain damage, full recovery should not be expected, since the possibilities of neurons for neuroplasticity are not unlimited.

It is believed that these processes can go on during the year, after a stroke, most actively, in the first months. Therefore, rehabilitation measures should begin as early as possible, even in the acute period of a stroke, already in the first days, as far as the patient's condition allows.

Restoration of lost functions

The consequences of acute disorders of cerebral circulation can be different, it depends on where the focus of the brain damage is located. If the centers responsible for the movements are affected, the ability to move the limbs from the side opposite to the focus will be completely or partially lost. If the speech center is affected, speech will be impaired or may be absent altogether. All other neurological disorders resulting from a stroke can be correlated by the same principle. Further, we will more specifically consider the possible neurological syndromes.

• Hemiparesis or hemiplegia is a violation of motor function.
• Hemiparesis is a partial loss of strength in the limbs on one side (only on the right or only on the left).
• Hemiplegia is a complete loss of the ability to move the limbs on one side.

Impaired motor function can be manifested by muscle weakness, leading to a limitation of the range of motion up to their complete immobility in the affected limbs. In mild cases, impaired motor function can be manifested by awkwardness of movements and rapid fatigability.

Muscle atrophy can often develop in the affected limbs. This is due to the fact that the muscles of these limbs do not have the necessary load, as a result of which they atrophy, which complicates the rehabilitation process. Therefore, from the first weeks, it is necessary to carry out active or passive gymnastics, if it is impossible to carry out active gymnastics due to deep paresis, cognitive impairments or impaired level of consciousness. The best option for such gymnastics is a physical therapy doctor.

Also, spasticity is a violation of motor functions. This is an increase in muscle tone in the affected limbs. This aspect also requires attention, since it has a negative impact on the implementation of movements, recovery of walking and self-care.

With severe spasticity, the usual pathological position of the limb is formed. With increased muscle tone, it is difficult to straighten a limb or, for example, fingers. This also threatens the appearance of flexion contacts - limitation of passive movements in the joint. When this problem is identified, regular therapeutic exercises are necessary, prevention of the formation of the usual position of the limb, for example, if, due to spasticity, the fingers of the hand are constantly bent, it is necessary with a healthy hand or with the help of an outsider to unbend them and fix them in this position. The use of orthoses is also effective.

In some cases, the attending physician may prescribe certain medications that help temporarily reduce the increased muscle tone, but this will be ineffective or not effective at all with formed contractures.

Most often, with a hemispheric stroke, the restoration of movements occurs first in the lower limb, then in the upper limb, and later in the hand, this is due to the peculiarities of the blood supply to the brain. But this pattern is not 100 percent. Everything can be individual. Movement recovery can begin in the first days after a stroke. However, if there is no dynamics during the month, then the forecast for further movement recovery is highly doubtful. The most effective time for motor rehabilitation is the first 3-6 months after the onset of the stroke.

Basic methods of motor rehabilitation

Physiotherapy

Therapeutic gymnastics includes physical exercises aimed at general body training, exercise tolerance training, as well as special exercises aimed at restoring lost functions.

The complex of physical exercises carried out by the exercise therapy doctor is selected individually based on the motor deficit of a particular patient. Exercises are aimed at increasing muscle strength, increasing the range of motion in the joints, reducing muscle tone, improving coordination, learning to stand and walk.

The restoration of walking takes place in several stages: imitation of walking while lying down, sitting, training in standing and maintaining balance, training in walking with a 4-support cane within the ward, training in walking on stairs, walking outdoors. During the recovery of walking, the important point is the correct position of the leg. It is not uncommon that as a result of a stroke, walking skills are lost; in this case, it is necessary to control the position of the foot, knee and hip joints. Physicians of physiotherapy exercises know how to do it correctly.

A person with severe motor impairment should not be expected to be able to walk immediately. This requires a long time, the work of specialists and the work of the patient himself. The restoration of walking function is not always possible, it depends on many factors - from the patient's motivation to the extent of the brain damage. It is often possible to meet a person who, even years later, still does not walk well after a stroke, often the deficit can persist for life. But rehabilitation helps to reduce this deficit to the minimum possible.

Verticalization

Verticalization implies bringing the patient into an upright position as far as the motor deficit allows. The minimum level of verticalization is considered to be the raising of the head end of the bed. Further, a half-sitting position in bed, then a sitting position in bed, then sitting in a bed or chair with lowered legs. It is necessary to start verticalization from the first days and continue it continuously, if the general condition of the patient allows it.

The importance of these activities can hardly be overestimated. With a long stay in a horizontal position, there is no work of the muscles of the back, limbs, the tone of the vessels changes, and the longer the patient is only in the horizontal position, the more difficult it will be in the future to teach him to sit and "accustom" his vessels to the vertical position.

Orthosis therapy

Orthosis therapy is the use of special fixation functional devices. They are necessary for the temporary immobilization of individual segments of the musculoskeletal system. They are effective in treating contractures and to facilitate movement recovery and stability while improving gait function such as protecting the knee or ankle. The need for this method is determined by the exercise therapy doctor.

Massage

Massage can help to combat spasticity in the limbs, as well as to improve tissue trophism. But this method is only auxiliary. Since it has been proven that the methods used in rehabilitation, in which the patient does not actively participate, have practically no effect.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy includes electrical stimulation. This method is used to prevent atrophy and reduce spasticity. Provides a training effect. This method will not teach muscles to contract voluntarily, it only prevents muscle tissue atrophy. This should not be assumed to restore movement.

Full or partial restoration of motor functions is possible with the joint work of a patient, a physical therapy doctor and a neurologist.

Hypesthesia - impaired sensitivity

When the area of \u200b\u200bthe brain responsible for sensitivity is affected, hypesthesia develops - a decrease in sensitivity. Its decrease will manifest itself in the limbs opposite to the side of the lesion.

Sensitivity, as a rule, is restored longer than movements in the limbs, this is due to the structural features of the sensitive nerve fibers.

To restore sensitivity, tactile stimulation can be used - irritation with cold temperature, vibration, pressure. Therapeutic gymnastics also plays a role, contributing to the awareness of the position of the limb in space.

Coordination disorders

When the cerebellum is damaged, coordination disorders develop - the accuracy and consistency of movements. They can manifest themselves in different ways: impaired stability when standing or walking, impaired coordination of movements, tremors. In a number of patients, there is a pronounced dysfunction of walking due to damage to the cerebellum. At the same time, the strength in the limbs can be completely preserved, the range of movements is full, but when performing targeted actions (walking, standing up, trying to bring a spoon to the mouth on your own), significant violations are revealed.

Rehabilitation of such patients consists in motor activation, balance training, motor skills training, fine motor skills training. An important role in solving this problem is assigned to remedial gymnastics. A special set of exercises is used to:

• Improving movement accuracy
• Improved coordination of movements
• Balance training and walking training
• Training of fine motor skills and various hand grips

With concomitant dizziness, drug therapy is used to improve blood circulation in the brain and to suppress the excitability of the vestibular centers. The drug, doses and dosage regimen are prescribed exclusively by the doctor.

Speech disorders

It is often possible to face the fact that a person does not speak after a stroke, speech disorders appear in most patients, to one degree or another. Speech disorders occur when the speech areas of the cerebral cortex, subcortical structures or pathways are affected.

There are different types of such violations:

• Aphasia - a systemic disorder of speech activity that occurs when the speech center of the left hemisphere is damaged in right-handed people and the right one in left-handed people. Aphasia is often accompanied by impaired writing (agraphia) and reading (alexia). Aphasias are also divided into several types, in this article only the main ones will be indicated, the most common:
• Motor aphasia - violation of speech activity, manifested in the difficulty or impossibility of pronunciation of sounds, syllables, words. Secondarily, it can be accompanied by a violation of the understanding of another person's speech.
• Sensory aphasia - manifested by a violation of the distinction of specific speech sounds, respectively, manifested by a lack of understanding of the speech of others. As a result, the patient answers incorrectly to the questions posed, speech is disorganized, consists of a set of unrelated words.
• Amnestic aphasia - violation of the naming of objects, a person can describe why this object exists, but does not remember its name.
• Dysarthria - violation of the pronunciation of words due to insufficient innervation of the speech apparatus. The decay of the speech system does not occur, but the clarity of sound pronunciation, articulation, phonation and intonation color of speech suffer. Violations can be expressed to the point that others will not be able to understand the patient's speech.

Only a professionally trained speech therapist should be involved in the rehabilitation of such patients. Specialists conduct correctional sessions with such patients, selecting exercises individually based on the type of speech disorder. In some cases, "disinhibition" and stimulation techniques are needed, in others, on the contrary, it is necessary to slow down some processes. In parallel with classes on the restoration of speech, exercises are also carried out to restore reading and writing. A speech therapist teaches correct articulation, understanding of speech.

Gymnastics of the throat and pharyngeal muscles, articulatory muscles, massage of these muscles, training in the coordination of respiratory movements can also be performed.

Rehabilitation measures to correct speech should be started as early as possible, even in the acute stage of the disease. This promotes faster speech recovery. You should tune in to the fact that with gross violations, the restoration of speech function is a long process. If the patient does not speak after a stroke, then it will take a lot of time, recovery will not be limited by the time spent in the hospital, but will also require the involvement of specialists at the outpatient stage. Classes at home or in the clinic are possible with a frequency of at least 2-3 times a week.

Swallowing disorders

Dysphagia is a violation of the act of swallowing, accompanied by choking when taking liquid or solid food.

This problem is very relevant for stroke patients, but not always enough attention is paid to it. The condition when the patient does not swallow after a stroke or swallows with difficulty is dangerous with a number of complications, which will be discussed below.

If the swallowing center is damaged, dysphagia of varying degrees occurs and requires different measures to correct the violation and ensure the safety of the patient.

Swallowing should be assessed in every stroke patient. In difficult cases, endoscopic techniques can be used to diagnose dysphagia.

For choking or any discomfort that occurs while drinking or eating, it is necessary to consult a specialist and select an individual diet.

The diet consists of a specific consistency of food suitable for a particular patient. When choking on the thickest food, a nasogastric tube is installed and feeding occurs only with its help. Special food mixtures are used. In this case, you cannot take anything by mouth! The patient receives all food and drink only through the probe. In the absence of correction of the violation for a long time, surgical techniques are used, a gastrostomy is installed.

In case of moderate or mild swallowing disorders, the consistency of food and drink is selected and strictly observed. Soups can be in the form of cream or mashed potatoes, drinking in the form of jelly, if this consistency is suitable according to the results of a specialist examination. If necessary, special thickeners can be added to the food to create a thicker consistency.

With dysphagia, you should never give ordinary liquid (water, tea, juice) without a thickener!

The great importance of this issue is associated with the possibility of food and drink getting into the respiratory tract - aspiration. Choking is the evidence of aspiration.

Complications associated with dysphagia include:

• Tracheobronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Empyema of the lung
• Breathing disorder
• Exhaustion, dehydration of the body
• Sinusitis

In the conditions of a resected stroke, especially if the patient's condition does not allow him to actively move independently, the likelihood of inflammatory complications is very high. That is why great attention should be paid to the nutrition of such patients. Cooking for them should be based on the degree of dysphagia and selected by a specialist.

Rehabilitation of patients with dysphagia does not have many options. These include:

1. Individual selection of food and liquid consistency.
2. Exercises aimed at training the muscles of the pharynx, mouth, larynx, which should be carried out by a specialist.
3. Physiotherapy - electrical stimulation of the muscles involved in the act of swallowing.

The possibility of changing the consistency of the consumed food is determined by the doctor or specialist in swallowing, and not by the patient or his relatives!

Cognitive impairment

One of the consequences of a stroke is impaired cognitive function. The frequency and depth of such disorders correlates with the patient's age. If the violation of cerebral circulation occurred against the background of the existing cognitive deficit, then there will be an aggravation of the existing symptoms and, probably, the appearance of new ones.

Cognitive impairments include:

• Deficit of attention, impairment of the ability to quickly orientate in a changing environment.
• Decreased memory, often short-term.
• Rapid exhaustion of mental processes.
• Slowness of thinking.
• Narrowing the circle of interests.

There are 3 degrees of cognitive impairment:

1. Mild degree - minimal cognitive deficit, the patient follows instructions, is oriented in place and space, controls his behavior, but there are disturbances in concentration, memorizing new material, and decreased mental performance.
2. Medium - orientation in place, space, a moderate decrease in RAM, mistakes in the execution of two-stage instructions can be violated.
3. Severe degree - dementia. Pronounced impairment of memory, intelligence, attention, social maladjustment.

A neuropsychologist examines such patients more thoroughly and selects the necessary exercises to train memory and thinking for a particular patient. If necessary, antidement drugs may be prescribed that require long-term administration.

Emotional-volitional disorders - post-stroke depression

Depression is often one of the consequences of a stroke. Many relatives of patients consider this problem insignificant or deny its existence altogether; it is much more important for them to restore movement and speech. But such an attitude to this problem entails consequences. Very often, against the background of depression, the restoration of lost functions is slow, classes become ineffective. With depression, motivation decreases up to its complete absence, existing cognitive impairments increase, the patient cannot and does not want to understand tasks and instructions. The patient becomes adynamic, inhibited. With the patient's passive participation, the effectiveness of rehabilitation is minimal.

Appetite may also decrease, but if the patient does not eat after a stroke, this leads to nutritional deficiencies, which also complicates the rehabilitation process.

The cause of post-stroke depression can be both damage to certain areas of the brain, and awareness of the depth of the problem with continued criticism.

In this situation, not only the help of a psychologist is required, but also the use of antidepressants. The course of treatment should be at least 6 months long.

Ergotherapy

Ergotherapy is an area of \u200b\u200bphysical rehabilitation that helps a person to adapt to environmental conditions, as well as to restore movements in the upper limbs, by working with special simulators and game tasks (constructors, mosaics, lacing). Also, the task of an occupational therapist is to teach lost everyday skills.

A person who has suffered a stroke, who has insufficient strength and range of motion in his hand, is limited in everyday possibilities, which negatively affects his quality of life. Therefore, the restoration of the functions of the upper limb, and especially the hand, is one of the most important tasks.

An occupational therapist teaches the skill of self-dressing, this is possible even with a complete lack of movement in one hand. Also teaches food intake, cutlery and dishes are adapted for such patients. They learn daily hygiene skills - washing, shaving, brushing teeth. The use of familiar objects also requires attention - a mobile phone, a pen (learning to write, training handwriting), an iron, a remote control. Training is conducted taking into account the capabilities of each patient. Ergotherapy allows the patient to adapt to environmental conditions, taking into account the existing neurological deficit, which makes it possible to reduce dependence on others and improve the quality of life.

Pain syndrome

Sometimes you can face a complaint that after a stroke a paralyzed arm hurts or a paralyzed leg hurts. The pain can be of both central origin and due to the formation of contractures. If in the first case, only a certain kind of drugs prescribed by a doctor can help, then the formation of contractures can be prevented by the early onset of exercise therapy. If contractures have begun to form, then it is necessary to continue physiotherapy exercises or start, if for some reason exercise therapy was not started earlier. In his free time from exercise, the patient himself or his relatives can passively perform movements in the joints where contracture is formed, this will allow you to get rid of it sooner.

How to recover from a stroke at home

At the beginning of this paragraph, I would like to immediately draw attention to the fact that full or meaningful recovery only at home is impossible!

Restoration of lost functions as a result of a stroke is possible only in a hospital setting, where many specialists will work with the patient.

All possibilities of rehabilitation treatment must be used. Only a doctor can determine the presence of rehabilitation potential and the point of application of work.

After going through all possible courses of treatment, the patient returns home, unfortunately, recovery does not always take place completely, moreover, there is almost always a deficit.

In this situation, we need to talk about the possibilities of home care.

• In case of impaired motor functions, the task of relatives is to activate the patient as much as possible, not to let him lie down for a long time, to sit in a chair for as long as possible, to do exercises, if possible, to walk - to move such distances that the patient can.
• In case of speech disorders, help to complete the tasks of a speech therapist (a set of exercises must be issued home), continue classes with a speech therapist on an outpatient basis.
• It is also very important to prevent various complications that may occur in bedridden patients, such as bedsores, pneumonia, nutritional deficiency, and constipation. For the prevention of bedsores, special mattresses are used, or the patient is turned over every 2 hours and the maximum possible activation.
• For the prevention of pneumonia - adherence to the recommended consistency of food with persistent swallowing disorders, and with normal swallowing function - breathing exercises and percussion chest massage.
• The diet should be complete and varied, but according to some restrictions (reduced salt content in food, animal fats, etc.).
• Laxatives can be used to prevent constipation.

Relatives also need to pay special attention to adherence to the doctor's recommendations for taking medications, including for the prevention of recurrent stroke. Such drugs must be taken in strictly specified doses, constantly, without gaps. If the patient cannot cope with this on his own, then the relatives must ensure timely medication.

In conclusion, I will say that in modern medicine, much attention is paid to the problems of stroke and recovery after it. The possibilities for neurorehabilitation are great, but it is worth remembering that a lot depends on the patient's condition, his concomitant pathologies, the extent of the brain damage, so many patients do not recover completely, but any possibility of rehabilitation treatment must be used.