Choosing the Right Stroke Therapy

Stroke therapy plays an important role in maintaining the condition of stroke patients in order to stay good and help prevent further disability. Brain damage due to stroke can spread and become a long-term problem. In order to improve the quality of life of stroke patients, stroke therapy is needed. Stroke can cause the sufferer to experience paralysis or reduced ability of bodily functions. Although there are those who can recover fully in a short time, but generally stroke sufferers need medical and psychological support in a sufficiently long period of time to restore their bodily functions to become more independent.

Medical Therapy

Stroke therapy can restore the quality of life of stroke sufferers. Here are some therapies that can be given, including:

• Physical therapy

A stroke can weaken the muscles in the body of the sufferer. This makes it difficult for the body and joints to move. The effect is coordination and movement of the body to be reduced as well as difficulty in physical activities such as walking and standing. Physical therapy helps strengthen the muscles of the body and train stroke patients to be able to return to their activities after suffering brain damage. Physical therapy or physiotherapy is therapy carried out by physiotherapists and therapists, who will first evaluate the patient's physical problems. If the physical problem suffered is too severe, then it can be helped with tools to support recovery from impaired movement of the patient's body.

• Speech and language therapy

One result of a stroke is the loss or decline in the ability to speak. Speech disorders due to stroke can include decreased overall speech ability, unable to use the right words, or being unable to complete sentences. Stroke can also damage the muscles that control the speaker's ability to speak. Stroke therapy for this disorder can be done by speech and language therapists, who will train patients to speak clearly and coherently. If the disorder is too severe, then stroke therapy is done is looking for ways to communicate besides talking.

• Occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is rehabilitation that helps a person regain, develop, and build important skills related to independence in daily activities. Patients will be trained according to their needs, for example how to button a shirt and brush their teeth. Occupational therapy can be done together with speech and language therapy, to train the cognitive abilities of someone who has had a stroke. Cognitive abilities that can be disrupted by a stroke include a decrease in thinking ability, reasoning, inability to make judgment, and memory problems.

• Recreational therapy and psychological therapy

Recreational therapy can be given for post-stroke patients to love what they used to do, for example raising pets, or making crafts and art, depending on the patient's interest. Psychological therapy or psychotherapy is needed to improve the mental condition of someone affected by a stroke. It's just that conditions that are no longer as usual are prone to foster a sense of depression and emotional disturbances in sufferers. One of the most common forms is to withdraw from social activities and despair of healing.

Alternative Therapies

In addition to the above stroke therapy, the following therapies can be used as alternatives for post-stroke patients. However, always consult with your doctor first because the following steps have not been fully proven to help post-stroke recovery significantly.

• Acupuncture

Therapy using special needles that are stuck to the surface of the skin has been popular in Asia for centuries. Acupuncture therapy is claimed to help reduce pain, paralysis, and muscle problems due to stroke.

• Massage

Massage is a very common therapy for stroke sufferers. Massage can help improve mood, reduce blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and make the body and mind more relaxed. In addition, it can also help muscle problems by increasing blood flow to the affected area.

• Yoga

Yoga can help improve the quality of life of patients after a stroke through breathing and slow motion. Yoga also helps patients improve mental focus lost due to stroke. This sport is a wise choice for stroke sufferers, given that this sport has minimal impact and risk of injury.

• Aroma therapy

Aromatherapy is using certain scents to help people become more relaxed and reduce pain. Rosemary, lavender, and peppermint are common scents used by those whose health problems due to stroke.

• Herbal medicine

Some herbal medicines claim to be able to improve blood circulation to the brain while increasing its function. There are also those who claim to be able to prevent a person from having a further stroke. But, you should consult with your doctor first if you want to use any herbs as an alternative treatment for stroke.

If done regularly and consistently, stroke therapy will improve the quality of life of sufferers. Not only undergoing treatment, emotional and social support from the closest person also plays an important role in the series of stroke therapy. Use a professional therapist and consult a doctor for optimal results.