Between 110,000 and 120,000 stroke cases occur every year in Spain, a number that is likely to increase in the coming years due to the population’s increasing life expectancy.
A person who has had a stroke may have their speech or mobility affected, among other consequences. For this purpose, several specialties are involved in rehabilitation, such as nursing, rehabilitation, speech therapy or physiotherapy, etc., with the aim of restoring as much as possible the previous life.
Dr. Raquel Cutillas Ruiz, Deputy Director of the Department of Rehabilitation at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital, assures that “treatment of different therapies must be coordinated and aimed at each patient Achieve very personal goals.”
Learn more about post-stroke care and instructions for returning home.
Do you know how to recognize a stroke?
Time to act is critical because if action is not taken quickly, the physical consequences may worsen. Dr. Araceli García Torres, Associate Physician of the Department of Neurology at the same hospital, insists: “In order for society to be aware of the importance of early diagnosis, it is necessary to know the main warning symptoms of stroke, in order to hopefully notify emergency services as soon as possible.
exist. .between Stroke warning symptoms They find each other:
- speech changes
- changes in pronunciation
- Facial asymmetry
- Weakness in limbs, such as arms
- loss of sensitivity
- balance issue
- Diplopia
- sudden loss of vision
Given these signs of a stroke, it is best to call the emergency number 112 and explain the situation.
Personalized care for stroke patients
Unfortunately, a stroke can cause some type of disability or physical sequelae, such as difficulty speaking, loss of movement of arms, legs, or facial areas. This may vary from person to person, so it’s important to analyze it individually and also include some expertise in recovery.
Care to avoid serious complications
Nursing staff are responsible for assessing each patient and meeting their needs. María del Carmen Pajuelo Díez, a nurse at the same hospital, emphasized the importance of avoiding other complications: “For example, Correctly treat dysphagia to avoid bronchial aspiration and pneumonia-like infections, promote early mobilization to avoid stiffness or promote care of the hemiplegic side“.
Another important point is that stroke patients know what is happening. Specifically, the nurse noted that “Patients must realize what is happening and accept their new situationwith the help of experts to determine the level of difficulty they would have to face after sustaining damage and modifications.
Rehabilitation: Understanding what happens after a stroke
This specialty analyzes a patient’s progress after a stroke on a weekly or regular basis. Dr. Cutillas tells us everything they consider for this: “How to achieve your goals, whether they are individual or holistic, we try to make sure all treatments are designed to achieve the same goals, or if there are any difficulties along the way.”
Likewise, other more personal aspects such as motivation, family support or social environment are included.
Speech therapy boosts communication after stroke
Stroke often affects speech. Therefore, speech therapy is considered an essential area of treatment for this disorder. Aitor Belandia Vellisca, a speech therapist at the same hospital, tells us about the most common problems associated with stroke, such as “dysphagia, dysarthria, facial paralysis, dysphonia, memory difficulties, concentration, fatigue, depression and general, expressive aphasia or Aphasia. “Global”.
from speech therapy Assess how stroke affects expressive and integrative language. Afterwards, individualized goals will continue at home, as the speech therapist noted: “This will allow us to provide patients and their families with personalized guidance to complement home therapy.”
It must be considered that people with strokes have the ability to think, so We must treat him normally and even involve him in family decisions. At this point, the speech therapist insisted that changes in communication would not change the importance of the environment in his perception.
Another tip for improving communication is to give patients time to understand the message and respond.Experts explained it to us this way: “During the conversation Should give a response time of approximately 30 seconds This gives patients enough time to understand the information they receive and develop the message they want to convey: this will also prevent them from becoming depressed.
You must also provide the appropriate context for the conversation. “must be Prepare the environment to ensure it is calm, quiet and free of distractions Improve concentration,” experts advise.
Physical therapy and other advice at home
Exercise is part of stroke treatment, so we must continue to do it at home. Physical Therapy indicates the most recommended treatments and other indications regarding posture.
others Tips for returning home after a stroke yes:
- Adapt to home To prevent falls, for example, remove carpeting and restructure spaces like showers or bathrooms.
- control posture.
- avoid immobility patient’s.
- Connect with the patient from the affected side, right or left. This is beneficial to the stimulation of the visual field during daily communication.
- Allow you to participate in tasks Such as dressing, eating or grooming.
- Ensure remote care services To prevent accidents.
- Stay in touch with your doctor family.
- Continue with exercises and other advice from experts After discharge.
Finally, we should not forget that prevention of stroke risk factors is in our hands, which is also crucial, as Dr. Garcia points out: “Most strokes can be prevented by controlling several factorsmainly blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and weight, engage in physical activity and avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.