The time spent recovering from a stroke is a very difficult phase in the lives of the patient, as well as those around him. The recovery time will vary depending upon the intensity of the stroke. This HealthHearty post has additional information on the subject.
Stroke ranks third in the list of causes of death and long term disability in the United States of America. Recovering from a stroke takes considerable time, and is often an arduous journey for the patient. This article gives you a brief overview of the efforts and process.
Stroke Recovery Time
There are two types of strokes. They are ischemic and hemorrhagic. The question now is what happens during a stroke. In an ischemic stroke, blood supply to the brain is either reduced or cut off as a result of a blood clot or due to narrowing of the arteries. If a person suffers from hemorrhagic stroke, it indicates that a blood vessel has burst in the brain, which has led to rush of blood to flood a particular area of the brain.
The human body, though, is a scientific wonder―even if the blood supply is cut off, new pathways are created, and the unaffected area of the brain takes over the functions of the damaged area.
Brain stroke recovery time is dependent on the severity of the stroke and the complications arising out of it. The rehabilitation process normally starts within two days of the stroke, if the patient is stable after the stroke. There is no average recovery time which can be stated, as there are some patients who recover within the first few days following the stroke. In some cases, mild stroke recovery time can be even more than six months. The first few months after a stroke are the most crucial months. It is when the recovery is the fastest and the best. However, after this period the process may hit a plateau and recovery may slow down, although, small milestones in terms of recovery are made over the next couple of years.
In some patients, it is seen that drugs taken for conditions associated with stroke, may slower the recovery time.
Stroke Recovery Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation process aims to make the patient independent and productive at the earliest. When we speak of stroke recovery rehabilitation, there are a few factors, which play an important role in the same. They are:
- The first most important factor is the amount of damage caused to the brain. It is natural that more the damage, more will be the recovery time and vice-versa.
- The skills of the team handling rehabilitation also comes into the picture here. If the team is experienced, they will find it relatively easy to find peculiar traits of the patient and accordingly, the recovery process will be hastened.
- If the patient has very supportive family and friends, the recovery time will be less.
- The recovery time will be shorter, if the rehabilitation process is started early.
Very often it is observed that people can go into a state of depression, as a direct or an indirect effect of a stroke, which in turn can have a negative impact on the rehabilitation process. The progress and recovery for each person is unique. More often than not, most of the functional abilities are restored after a stroke. Remember that the recovery is an ongoing process and hence, takes time.
Your aim should be to work diligently towards recovery with the help of your rehabilitation team. It is important to remain true to yourself and give it your best. At the same time, it is advisable to quit any unhealthy habits that you have. Also, exercise and healthy diet will help speed up the process.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.