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Stroke Therapy
Stroke Therapy is generally conducted by a rehabilitation doctor, with the help of a physio, occupational and speech therapist. Together, they help the stroke survivor to relearn skills such as coordinating leg movements in order to walk, or carrying out the steps involved in any complex activity. One of the Key drivers of the success of any stroke therapy program is carefully directed, well-focused, repetitive stimulation and practice-the same kind of practice used by all people when they learn a new skill, such as learning a new sports etc.
Depending on the disabilities that result from the stroke, the first steps involve promoting independence. Patients typically progress from sitting up, transferring between a bed and chair, to standing and bearing their own weight, and to walking with or without assistance. With the help of rehabilitation therapists, patients thus learn to progressively perform more complex and demanding tasks and are encouraged to make use of their affected limbs to perform these functions. Over time, the patient may soon learn to be self-sufficient again. Rehabilitation OptionsStroke Therapy programs for stroke patients are varied. These can take place in a hospital, in an acute care facility, or at a rehabilitation hospital, where long-term care facilities are combined with therapy and skilled nursing care. Outpatient programs are also available at hospitals, while private therapists can provide home-based programs that are tailored to the patient’s needs.Successful stroke therapy is dependent on the initial disabilities after the stroke, and the timing that it begins-the earlier the better. It also depends largely on the skill of the rehabilitation team, and the cooperation of family members and friends can contribute to the success of any stroke therapy. Alternative Stroke TherapiesBeyond the aforementioned standard rehabilitation programs, there are a number of alternative therapies which have been developed for stroke rehabilitation.Traditional Chinese Medication (TCM)Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can offer hope to those who have suffered from disabilities and pain caused by a stroke by helping the patient recover and regain use of disabled parts of the body, reduce pain and depression, improve blood flow to the brain, and improve memory and speech. In somewhat, it is an alternative form of stroke therapy. TCM treatments generally used for stroke patients include acupuncture and herbal remedies.Chinese medicine theory recognizes four main pathological factors (agents) of stroke: Wind, Fire, Phlegm, and Stasis. There are also considered to be four leading contributing factors to stroke, related to lifestyle: emotional stress, overwork, poor diet, and excessive sexual activity. The internal organs most likely to be weakened by these factors are the Kidney and the Spleen, causing deficiencies of Chi, Blood, and Yin. Deficiencies of Chi, Blood, or Yin permit the body to be overwhelmed by the pathological factors of Wind, Phlegm, Fire, and Stasis, resulting in such stroke-related patterns as Liver Yang Rising, Stasis of Chi or Blood, Phlegm combining with Fire, Liver Wind, or Wind in the Meridians.
Acupuncture is the most popular treatment modality for stroke patients in China, used effectively on 85% of the stroke patients there. When Margaret Naeser, a neurology professor at Boston University School of Medicine, went to China in the 1980s, she was surprised to see that acupuncture treatments were considered to be the most important part of stroke rehabilitation at Chinese hospitals. She was even more impressed when she saw how effective such treatment was, and began to study acupuncture scientifically when she returned home. Since then, scientific evidence has been accumulating in the West. A controlled study conducted at the Lund University Hospital in Sweden provided several interesting findings. It found that a group of 38 patients who received acupuncture treatments twice a week for ten weeks reported significant improvements in the areas of walking, balance, emotions, quality of life, ease of daily activity, and mobility in comparison with a control group of 40 patients who did not receive acupuncture treatments. The Acupuncture Group spent fewer days in nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities than the Non-Acupuncture Group, with an average savings of $26,000 per patient. In the follow-up period, it was found that one year after suffering their stroke and receiving stroke therapy treatment, 89% of the patients in the Acupuncture Group were living at home vs. 66% of the patients in the Non-Acupuncture Group. Back to the top of Stroke Therapy page Scientific studies indicate that acupuncture can: facilitate nerve regeneration; decrease blood viscosity; prevent the aggregation of blood cells, dilate blood vessels by triggering the release of hormones; and help surviving nerve cells find new pathways, effectively by-passing damaged parts of the brain. Acupuncture has also been found to be helpful in the treatment of headache, dizziness and hypertension in stroke therapy for stroke patients. In addition, acupuncture combined with pushing manipulation on the fingers of stroke patients who have difficulty using their fingers leads to significantly improved finger flexion. Several forms of acupuncture treatment are utilized in stroke therapy for stroke recovery. Electro-acupuncture involves applying a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles to further stimulate the acupuncture points, which enhances the level of stimulation of the acupuncture points and can lead to greater improvements in muscle tone and restoration of mental faculties. Scalp acupuncture is another method of acupuncture treatment that is effective in post-stroke patients. Various studies have shown the benefits of this form of acupuncture therapy for hemiplegia and other neurological disorders. During scalp acupuncture, needles are inserted between the layers of skin on the scalp to stimulate local areas of the brain, and it primarily follows the modern medical understanding of neurological mappings of brain activity. Acupuncture points used for stroke therapy are focused on balancing the body based upon the differential diagnosis formed by the acupuncturist. Often the selected points include Gallbladder 20, Large Intestine 4, Du 20, Kidney 6 and Stomach 36. Acupuncture treatment should be given several times a week during the recovery stage to yield the best clinical results. BiofeedbackUtilizes an electrode attached to a muscle or limb which when activated, serves to provide visual cues that a patient is moving the correct muscles in the desired manner.For this stroke therapy style, the patient can improve motor control, but note that although it is helpful in training survivors to open a hand, for example, it does not help survivors develop functional skills. Functional Electrical StimulationIn this method of stroke therapy, an electric shock is applied to patient’s muscle, which is stimulated into movement. In theory, the brain of the patient is able to recapture and relearn this movement without the stimulation, resulting in improved movement and enhanced motor control. The shock can range from a mild tingling sensation to almost a burning sensation, and much research remains to be done to find out why exactly this treatment works.Beyond Stroke TherapyPhysical and occupational therapy does not have to be all there is for the stroke survivor. Life must go on for the patient not to be ensnared by the emotional trap of depression.Friends and family must provide emotional support and love, and these can even take the form of spending time with the survivor. By engaging in simple activities such as watching TV or even a walk in the park and resuming the routines of life before stroke, a patient will realize that he or she is not alone, and may even pick up the courage to work harder at recovering.
Exclusive Stroke Screen Package (Conducted in Singapore Only)Amongst the top 10 diseases and reasons for hospitalization in Singapore, up to 80% of the conditions can be detected early and be prevented from getting worse through lifestyle modification or early medical intervention. Health screens can detect high blood pressure, diabetes, certain cancers, kidney failure and your risk for stroke or heart disease. Early detection means the ability to prevent later complications of the disease, thus minimizing the chances of being burdened with high medical costs (which includes having to do a stroke therapy), suffering and premature death. We, at International Neuro Associates offer a comprehensive Stroke Screen Package which consists of:
The above price is definitely a steal, since we are offering MRI scan as well! In any case, please do not ask for further discounts, as we know being Singaporeans, it is inadvertent that this question will pop up...so to show you our sincerity, just click on the button below to get your final 10% discount. Do bring the voucher along with you. (remember to call Juliet to confirm appointment time)
Please remember : No voucher=No discount (this is fair to the people who made the effort to print out the voucher)
Who Are We?International Neuro Associates10, Sinaran Drive #08-15 Novena Medical Centre Our centre offers a comprehensive neurology service for patients with neurological conditions. We see patients with:
Our DoctorsDr Keith Goh Yu-ChingClick here for more of his bio Consultant Neurosurgeon Adult and Pediatric Neurosurgery MBBS FRCSEd FCSHK FHKAM FAMS (Neurosurgery) Dr Keith Goh is a Neurosurgeon, specializing in neurosurgery for adults and children. He has a special interest in brain tumour treatment, as well as pediatric neurosurgery. He became known for leading an international medical and surgical team that was the first to attempt the separation of adult conjoined twins, the Bijani twins and 11 month-old Siamese twins, Ganga and Jamuna. He was part of the medical team which was awarded the Excellence for Singapore award in 2002.
His particular interests include treatment of severe headaches for which he offers infusion and botulinum therapy among others for. There is also an inpatient pain programme for more intractable patients. Dr Siow also performs nerve blocks and trigger point injections for chronic pain management. Back to the top of Stroke Therapy page More on Stroke Symptoms Show me some ebooks on hypertension Back to Home Page of get-discount-medical-supplies.com
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Chinese medicine distinguishes two general types of stroke: the most severe type attacks the internal organs as well as the energy pathways (meridians); the milder type attacks only the meridians. In treating the severe type, 
