How To Get The Most Out Of Stroke Rehab?
With Dr. Nick Housley 22nd Jul, 21Article
To get the most out of stroke therapy, the patient should strive to be constant and repetitious in the treatment
sessions in order to get the most out of the rehabilitation. Regardless of whether they are at home or at a clinic.
Mirror Therapy is a method that is now being utilized for the rehabilitation of stroke victims. To get the best outcomes,
it is utilized in combination with other methods. Mirror treatment utilizes a mirror to provide the impression that the
stroked arm or leg is moving.
A mirror is utilized to generate a reflection of an unaffected arm or leg in place of the afflicted limb during the procedure.
The mirror image “tricks” the brain into believing the afflicted limb is moving when the unaffected limb is moved.
The goal is to induce neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to remodel itself,
and it’s crucial for stroke recovery.
The brain tries to be efficient throughout life by developing and strengthening various neural pathways.
It gets easier or more natural to do that job as pathways grow stronger.
Some of these pathways are disrupted after a stroke. While the injured brain tissue cannot be restored,
neuroplasticity enables healthy areas of the brain to take up lost functions.
After a stroke, for example, when the brain has difficulty transmitting signals to the arm or hand,
neuroplasticity enables other regions of the brain to take over this role.
Repetitive stimulation activates neuroplasticity. When you repeatedly do hand therapy exercises, for example,
the brain rewires and strengthens the connections that govern hand function.
Mirror therapy also helps to reduce pain by allowing the brain to identify and “feel” the arm (after many sessions).
As a consequence, in as little as three weeks, the discomfort subsides. But how do you do it?
The explanation is found in the distinction between motor and mirror neurons.
Motor neurons provide signals to the brain that instruct your arm to move, allowing you to move your arm.
Mirror neurons, on the other hand, are unique. They become active both when you move and when you perceive movement.
Mirror treatment offers the essential visual input for mirror neurons to activate. As a consequence,
your brain receives the essential input to begin rewiring.
Hemineglect (an unawareness or unresponsiveness to things, people, or other stimuli) has been shown to be relieved by mirror
treatment. Patients on the left side of space may even disregard or reject their own left limbs. The problem isn’t that the
patient can’t notice the stimuli; it’s that they’ve lost the will or desire to pay attention to or react to them).
The danger element is also a major issue since the therapist’s first goal is the patient’s safety. Mirror treatment
has been proven to be very safe, even when used at home. It is preferable, to begin with, the assistance of a therapist,
and then progress on your own after the patient has been acclimated. To prevent boredom, mirror treatment should include
a variety of activities/games so that it seems fresh and new at all times.