The team at Murfreesboro Rehabilitation Hospital in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, provides comprehensive care for adolescents and adults age 15 and older who are suffering from stroke.
Learn About Stroke
Stroke is a severe medical condition that requires emergency medical attention, and it also often requires long-term care.
A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. When the person doesn’t receive immediate treatment, their brain cells begin to die, which can lead to long-term disability or even be life-threatening.
There are three main types of strokes:
- Ischemic stroke: This is the most common type of stroke, caused by a blood clot blocking or narrowing a blood vessel in the brain. It is often linked to conditions such as atherosclerosis and heart disease.
- Hemorrhagic stroke: This type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, leading to bleeding in or around the brain. Possible causes of hemorrhagic strokes include high blood pressure, aneurysms, and physical trauma.
- Transient ischemic attack (TIA): Sometimes referred to as a ministroke, a TIA is a temporary disruption of blood flow to the brain. Symptoms usually go away quickly, but a TIA can serve as a warning sign of future strokes and should not be ignored.
Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke can mean the difference between life and death. Symptoms that may indicate that someone has had a stroke include:
- Face drooping: One side of the face may droop or feel numb.
- Arm weakness: An inability to raise one or both arms due to weakness or numbness may be a sign that someone has suffered from a stroke.
- Speech difficulty: Slurred or strange speech is a common indicator that someone may have had a stroke.
While suffering from a stroke can have devastating effects on a person’s life, there is treatment available that can help them learn how to navigate those effects and ultimately find healing.
Helping a Loved One
Supporting a loved one who has had a stroke requires patience, understanding, and active involvement. Start by educating yourself about strokes and the recovery process to better understand what your loved one may need. Offering support can be crucial to their healing process.
Here are examples of ways you can support a loved one who has had a stroke:
- Communicate openly and encourage them to express their feelings and concerns.
- Offer practical assistance, such as helping with daily tasks or managing appointments.
- Educate yourself about the condition to provide informed support.
- Stay positive and focus on progress, even when it doesn’t seem significant.
- Encourage their independence while remaining available for support when needed.
- Provide reassurance and remind them that they are not alone in their recovery.
- Seek professional guidance or join support groups to better equip yourself to help them.
Most importantly, remain patient and celebrate small milestones together, as recovery is often a gradual process.
Why Consider Our Stroke Rehab Center
Seeking treatment for a stroke is crucial to minimize its long-term effects and improve the chances of recovery. Early medical care provides a better opportunity for rehabilitation and recovery, enabling individuals to regain functionality and improve their quality of life.
When treatment is received in a timely fashion, it can help restore blood flow to the brain, prevent further damage to brain cells, and significantly reduce the risk for long-term disabilities. Procedures such as administering clot-busting medication or performing mechanical thrombectomy are most effective when undertaken within a narrow time window after the onset of symptoms. Delaying treatment can increase the severity of the stroke, leading to more profound and lasting impairments. Awareness of the importance of immediate medical attention can save lives and enhance the quality of life of stroke survivors.
However, recovery from a stroke does not end after receiving immediate medical care. The healing process requires consistent support and rehabilitation services like the ones offered at our Murfreesboro, Tennessee, stroke treatment center.
In addition to physical effects, strokes can cause emotional and psychological distress. Someone who has had a stroke may experience symptoms of depression and anxiety, and they may display changes in personality due to brain damage caused by the stroke.
But by receiving comprehensive care that addresses both the physical and psychological effects of a stroke, a person can regain the ability to live an independent, healthy life.
Types of Stroke Treatment
At our stroke treatment center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, we’re committed to providing personalized, high-quality care for every patient. Treatment begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand each individual’s medical and psychological history, current symptoms, prior treatments, and personal recovery goals. Using this information, our expert team develops a customized stroke rehabilitation treatment plan that is designed to meet their unique needs.
Each patient’s care plan will vary but may include a range of specialized therapies and support services, such as:
Physical therapy: Physical therapy is a core part of recovery for many people who have suffered from a stroke. Our physical therapists work with patients to help them improve mobility, build strength, and restore physical function. We also provide access to prosthetics, orthotics, and wheelchair consultations to support daily activity and independence.
Occupational therapy: Having a stroke can disrupt a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks. Our occupational therapists help patients regain essential life skills through hands-on training and implementing strategies that are tailored to their unique needs. Our occupational therapy services may include electronic stimulation, Kinesio Taping, and ultrasound therapy.
Speech therapy: Communication challenges are extremely common after a stroke. Our skilled speech therapists assess each patient and create an individualized plan of care to help them regain their ability to speak, understand, and interact. Depending on the person’s needs, speech therapy may include fiberoptic endoscopic evaluations and vital stimulation techniques.
Respiratory therapy: Strokes can weaken the muscles that control breathing and swallowing, potentially leading to further medical complications. By receiving respiratory therapy services at our stroke treatment center, patients can learn and practice exercises and techniques that can help improve lung function, strengthen breathing muscles, and clear airway obstructions. Receiving respiratory therapy can contribute significantly to a stroke survivor’s rehabilitation process.
Medication management: Medication is often a large part of the treatment process for individuals who have had a stroke. Patients who receive care at our Murfreesboro stroke treatment center can meet with a rehabilitation physician three to five times per week for medication management services. They also have access to specialty care in nephrology, cardiology, podiatry, urology, and psychiatry. Our compassionate nursing staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to assist with medication routine development and provide education on topics like diabetic care, bowel/bladder training, and DVT prophylaxis.
Individual therapy: One-on-one therapy sessions are essential to each person’s recovery. Patients at our stroke rehab center receive a minimum of three hours of individual therapy per day, five days a week. In these sessions, they work closely with physical, speech, and occupational therapists. A dedicated social worker also assists with transition planning and building a support network they can rely on when they are not at our Murfreesboro hospital.
Family education and training: Family involvement plays a key role in stroke recovery, and our team is dedicated to being a support system for our patients’ loved ones. We offer educational and training sessions to help family members better understand stroke and learn how to best support their loved one throughout their healing journey. Social workers are also available for structured meetings and to provide ongoing guidance.
From the time a person admits to our stroke treatment center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, we begin preparing them for a successful transition after they complete treatment. Our team creates thorough, personalized discharge plans to help our patients regain a sense of independence and prepare themselves for long-term self-management.
The road to recovery after a stroke can be challenging, but with proper rehabilitation and support, many survivors are able to regain independence and improve their quality of life.
If you or someone in your life has suffered from a stroke, please contact us today. We are here to answer any questions you have about the services we provide and to help you begin the admissions process.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Murfreesboro Rehabilitation Hospital.