Types of Stroke Rehab Therapy
Some different therapies available as part of
stroke rehab include:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Talk therapy.
Physical Therapy
For most patients who have had a stroke, rehab mainly involves physical therapy. The goal of physical therapy is to help someone who has had a stroke relearn simple motor activities such as:
- Walking
- Sitting
- Standing
- Lying down
- The process of switching from one type of movement to another.
To achieve this, patients will work with physical therapists who use training, exercises, and physical manipulation of the patient's body to restore movement, balance, and coordination.
Occupational Therapy
Another type of therapy to help patients relearn daily activities is occupational therapy. This type of therapy also involves exercise and training. The goal of occupational therapy with people in stroke rehab is to help them relearn everyday activities such as:
- Eating
- Drinking and swallowing
- Dressing
- Bathing
- Cooking
- Reading and writing
- Toileting.
As part of
stroke treatment, occupational therapists seek to help the patient become independent or semi-independent.
Speech Therapy
Speech and language problems arise when brain damage occurs in the language centers of the brain. Due to the brain's great ability to learn and change, which is called brain plasticity, other areas can adapt to take over some of the lost functions.
Speech therapy helps patients who have had strokes relearn language and speaking skills, or learn other forms of communication. Speech therapy is appropriate for patients who have no problems with cognition or thinking, but have problems understanding speech or written words, or problems forming speech.
Besides helping with language skills, speech therapy also helps patients develop coping skills to deal with the frustration of not being able to communicate fully. With time and patience, a stroke survivor should be able to regain some, and sometimes all, language and speaking abilities.
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