Stroke
What is it?
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off, killing brain cells. Damage to the brain can affect how the body works. It can also change how you think and feel. The effects of a stroke depend on a lot of different factors including, but not limited to, where it takes place in the brain, and how big the damaged area is.
An ischaemic stroke is caused by a blockage cutting off the blood supply to the brain. This is the most common type of stroke.
A haemorrhagic stroke is caused by bleeding in or around the brain.
Common Side Effects Include:
- Reduced mobility with varying degrees of immobility i.e needing a stick to walk or being wheelchair bound
Reduced arm function with varying degrees of disability
Reduced balance leading to recurrent falls
Muscles being either too active or too relaxed
Reduced sense of self i.e reduced independence, reduced confidence, a change in the way you think about or see yourself.
How Can We Help?
Cortex Physiotherapy will help you to move freely and live fully. Recovering from a stroke is not time limited and many people continue to see improvements many years after their stroke. We will help you shape and optimise your recovery. Where there has been too much damage to the brain caused by the stroke there may not be any potential for recovery and our focus will then change to using what you have to achieve what you want.
We will also provide treatment to manage the symptoms of your stroke in order to optimise the quality of your life. Recovery, even when we are talking about compromise, is heavily dependent on the individual challenging themselves and committing themselves to the rehabilitation programme provided by us. Potential for improvement is something that is very difficult to determine and each individual case will be different.
Cortex Physiotherapy will always have an open and honest discussion about potential for improvement and this will be regularly monitored and discussed to ensure that you and your therapist are working as a team. You will receive a full neurological examination to determine where your individual problems lie, after this you and your therapist will have a discussion about what matters most to you. Your therapist will then tailor your treatment to your goals and your journey to the life you want, begins.