People who have experienced stroke often have physical impairments or remain completely immobile. Stroke survivors need high-quality, highly skilled, and timely help to restore the lost functions of parts of the brain. Post-stroke rehabilitation is a difficult and lengthy process that requires the utmost effort of highly trained professionals, and the willpower of the patients themselves.

What does rehabilitation look like?

Usually, a supervising neurologist, an instructor of physical therapy, as well as a psychologist, and a speech therapist (if necessary) work with a patient.

Rehabilitation includes daily use of appropriate treatment methods: individual and group kinesiotherapy, massage, various types of physiotherapy, including electroneurostimulation and myostimulation, speech therapy, consultations with psychotherapists and neuropsychologists, and other measures of physical medicine and rehabilitation.

Comprehensive rehabilitation after a stroke includes a bunch of measures aimed at:

• Restoration of movements
• Restoration of cognitive functions
• Restoration of psychological and emotional health

Rehabilitation after a stroke should begin almost immediately after normalization of the general condition. This considers both taking medication and therapeutic exercise.

Another important aspect of rehabilitation after a stroke is a strong motivation to return to usual life. To a large extent, this factor depends on the help of relatives and friends of the patient, their mood, and enthusiasm.

What does physical rehabilitation after stroke include?

Physical therapy is a set of measures aimed at restoring motor activity. Almost 80% of patients after a stroke have various kinds of deviations, including impaired coordination, muscle weakness (paresis), or partial or complete paralysis.

Physicians at the best rehabilitation centers use modern rehabilitation techniques to correct physical impairments. At first, physical rehabilitation after a stroke here usually includes only passive exercises. Gradually, with the improvement of motor functions, the degree of participation of the patient himself in the process increases. As a result, the patient performs exercises and gymnastics under the control of specialists and then – independently.

How long does rehabilitation after a stroke take?

The duration of rehabilitation must be at least 21 days. Some stroke rehabilitation programs are designed for 30 days, during which a patient undergoes intensive therapy. By urgently applying for help to the rehabilitation center (within 20 days after the stroke), a patient has a great chance of a full recovery and return to a normal life.

Comprehensive work on stroke recovery in rehabilitation centers is also aimed at preventing the recurrence of the disease. The overall task of rehabilitation medicine is to restore the lost functions of movement, speech, perception and at the same time to give them confidence that they can continue to live a full life, despite the developed irreversible changes.

Undergoing rehabilitation after stroke during a lockdown

Individually tailored rehabilitation regimens allow paying attention to every nuance of the patient's condition and immediately making the necessary adjustments to the program. Such personalized rehabilitation programs are currently available in the best medical centers abroad. However, the lockdown creates certain obstacles in terms of going abroad for rehabilitation. But if you use the services of a reliable medical tourism company, the whole process of rehabilitation becomes a lot easier for you.

Booking Health will help you choose a medical center and a program that would suit your clinical recommendations, providing useful services like negotiating with the chosen hospital, preparing all the necessary documents, resolving issues with a medical visa if any arise, booking the flight tickets, etc. Generally, Booking Health will provide the necessary support in every aspect of the treatment organization.

If you’d like to find more information about the best centers for stroke rehabilitation, click here.