After a stroke: Spasticity, weakness, and paralysis

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Bui Tien Dat - Emergency Medicine - Cardiology - Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital. The doctor has more than 12 years of experience in the field of emergency resuscitation - cardiology.

Brain injury from a stroke can leave long-term sequelae for the patient. Although some people can recover quickly, there are cases where rehabilitation is required for a long time. The process therefore depends on the symptoms and severity of the stroke.

A stroke (also known as a cerebrovascular accident) is a serious brain injury caused by an interruption in the blood supply to the brain. This condition causes the cells to not receive the adequate amount of oxygen they need to perform their functions.
Some medical conditions patients may experience after a stroke include: Spasticity, weakness and paralysis.
Accordingly, some people will only feel muscle tension or stiffness that makes it difficult to move, but for many others the condition can be more serious such as loss of control of movement of the legs, arms or even quadriplegia or hemiplegia. According to experts' estimates, 80% of stroke survivors have paralysis or reduced motor function mainly on one side of the body.

The rehabilitation of the paralyzed body part is very necessary. So what needs to be done after a stroke to regain lost mobility?
Recovery from a stroke should begin as soon as possible: Usually a stroke patient's condition will stabilize in about 24-48 hours and doctors will quickly conduct rehabilitation methods. After leaving the hospital, the patient still needs to continue exercising at home according to the doctor's instructions. Do exercises to improve range of motion: Continuous bending and stretching of the paralyzed limb promotes increased blood flow, making movements easier. If there is no one to practice with the patient, it is possible to use the non-paralyzed hand to gently stretch the paralyzed wrist, arm, and finger. Perform muscle-strengthening exercises: These exercises help strengthen muscles, improve the use of paralyzed limbs. Electrotherapy: A safe way to stimulate the nerves that control muscle activity in the event of damage from a stroke. The electrical impulses help increase muscle tone, relieve pain and stiffness, thereby helping the body gradually regain control of the paralyzed muscles. Train complex motor skills: Complex motor skills are the ability to perform small movements with the hands and fingers accurately. Patients can exercise themselves by trying to pick up small beans and put them in cups. This exercise requires great perseverance on the part of the patient if it is to be successful. In addition to physical exercises, the patient can be treated for muscle spasticity with injections or oral medications. Muscle relaxants act on the nervous system to help paralyzed muscles relax, relieve pain and partially regain their movement. However, these drugs can come with some side effects such as drowsiness and fatigue and they must be used under the direction of a doctor. In cases where the above drugs do not respond to the paralyzed muscle, Baclofen therapy can be used. This is a surgical procedure to implant a small pump that delivers the muscle relaxant Baclofen into the spinal cord. This method helps limit the side effects of muscle relaxants but is not recommended. Life skills retraining: It is one of the most important contents in the rehabilitation process after a stroke to help patients move around and perform daily self-care activities such as changing clothes. Dressing, bathing, cooking, cleaning, etc. Maintenance of rehabilitation methods: The first three months after a stroke is the time when rehabilitation is most effective. However, continuing to maintain and improve the level of exercise is also essential to restore the maximum motor functions of the paralyzed muscles.

A stroke can leave many sequelae related to different organs and systems in the body such as:
Respiratory system: Brain damage can make eating and drinking difficult. This is a common symptom but can improve over time as the stroke passes. However, if brain damage occurs at the center that controls the body's breathing activities, it can lead to respiratory arrest or even death. Nervous system: The sequelae of a stroke to the nervous system are very severe. Patients may lose the ability to feel some sensations such as heat, cold, pain ... or vision loss if the nerves in the eye area are damaged. It even causes a series of neurological problems such as memory loss, dementia and behavioral changes such as anger, depression. If it is damage to the motor nerves, the patient can be paralyzed after a stroke. Circulatory system: The circulatory system is largely affected by habits that cause stroke patients such as smoking, drinking a lot of alcohol, or having high blood pressure or diabetes.... If you have had an external stroke. Rehabilitation exercise patients also need to change their lifestyle, change their diet as well as their exercise regimen.

Muscular system: The sequelae affecting the musculoskeletal system can be reduced movement of certain parts of the body or even paralysis after a stroke. Digestive system: A stroke affects the digestive system by two factors: Some drugs used to treat stroke can cause constipation, while a stroke can damage the area of ​​the brain that controls the brain. control the digestive activities of the intestine leading to limited or loss of bowel function. Urinary system: A stroke can affect the communication between the urinary system and the urinary system, especially the bladder, causing the patient to go to the bathroom frequently, urinary incontinence, incontinence, even an enlarged bladder. Very small things like coughing or laughing also cause the patient to urinate. Reproductive system: A stroke may not directly affect the reproductive organs, but can reduce libido if the patient has psychological disorders or takes certain medications. Another problem is that paralysis after a stroke can also affect sexual performance. This can be improved if the patient and their spouse (or husband) can empathize to find common ground. A stroke can leave severe sequelae for patients such as spasticity, weakness, even paralysis. Some people can improve their condition very quickly after having a stroke, but most cases of stroke usually require rehabilitation support for a long time combined with the patient's patience. can reduce the life burden on family and society.

It's dangerous, but stroke is a completely preventable disease through screening. Currently, Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI/MRA is considered a "golden" tool to screen for brain stroke. MRI is used to check the condition of most organs in the body, especially valuable in detailed imaging of the brain or spinal nerves. Due to the good resolution and contrast, MRI images allow to detect abnormalities hidden behind bone layers that are difficult to detect with other imaging methods. MRI can give more accurate results than other X-ray techniques (except DSA angiography) in diagnosing brain diseases, cardiovascular diseases, strokes,... Moreover, the process MRI scans do not cause side effects like X-rays or computed tomography (CT) scans.\
Vinmec International General Hospital currently owns a 3.0 Tesla MRI System, which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment by GE. Healthcare (USA) with high image quality, allows comprehensive assessment, does not miss the injury but reduces the time taken to take pictures. Silent technology helps to reduce noise, create comfort and reduce stress for the client during the shooting process, resulting in better image quality and shorter imaging time. With the state-of-the-art MRI system With the application of modern methods of cerebral vascular intervention, a team of experienced and well-trained neurologists and imaging specialists, Vinmec is a prestigious address for stroke risk screening and screening. reliable goods.
In the past time; Vinmec has successfully treated many cases of stroke in a timely manner, leaving no sequelae: saving the life of a patient suffering from 2 consecutive strokes; Responding to foreign female tourists to escape the "death door" of a stroke ;...

Reference sources: webmd.com, nhs.uk, healthline.com