How to rehabilitate from a cerebral infarction?

Written by Shu Zhi Qiang

Neurosurgery

Updated on September 18, 2024

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Brain infarction is one of the most common cerebrovascular accidents, accounting for about 65% of all cerebrovascular diseases. The types of brain infarction include lacunar infarction, cerebral thrombosis, and cerebral embolism; sometimes it also includes cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Any type of brain infarction, or cerebral infarction, can cause certain neurological dysfunctions. Therefore, once the patient's condition is stabilized, it is advisable to actively consider rehabilitation treatments. These rehabilitation treatments mainly include hyperbaric oxygen therapy, acupuncture rehabilitation, and physical rehabilitation therapy.

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Written by Chen Yu Fei

Neurosurgery

39sec

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Massage methods for cerebral infarction

For patients with cerebral infarction, many of them suffer from facial paralysis, often characterized by crooked mouth and eyes and drooling. To alleviate symptoms and help improve the asymmetry of the mouth and eyes, it is suggested to massage the facial and neck muscles of the patient. It is generally recommended to seek an experienced Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner who can use manual massage techniques, targeting specific acupoints to effectively relieve pain and improve symptoms. For patients with motor dysfunction or even hemiplegia, manual massage can effectively help prevent muscle atrophy, relieve muscle rigidity, and reduce muscle tone.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

47sec

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Can a cerebral infarction be treated?

Stroke is treatable, but it must also be judged based on the situation. The meaning of "treatable" here is that various treatment plans can be used to reduce the further occurrence of cerebral infarction and the situation of recurrence. However, the nerve cells that have already suffered ischemic necrosis cannot be restored to exactly the same condition as before. This means that the best scenario is recovery to the point of being able to take care of oneself, but it is absolutely impossible to return to the state of freedom before the illness, such as running and jumping. Currently, there are many treatment methods, including medication and surgical treatment. Each of these is a mode of treatment, and each case's differences determine different treatment plans. Decisions must be made according to the situation.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen

Neurosurgery

58sec

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Causes of cerebral infarction

There are many causes of cerebral infarction, but the most common in clinical practice is the narrowing or occlusion of the carotid artery. Since the brain is supplied by four blood vessels, any issues with any of these vessels can potentially lead to a cerebral infarction. Conditions commonly known as the "three highs"—high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol—can easily lead to narrowing or even blockage of the blood vessels. Thus, these factors are fundamentally the cause. Additionally, smoking and drinking can also lead to vascular narrowing and cause cerebral infarction. In some special cases, autoimmune diseases can cause inflammation inside the vessels, leading to narrowing. Other causes include arterial tears due to trauma, which can lead to ischemia and infarction, or abnormal blood supply due to arrhythmias causing cerebral infarction.

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Written by Hao Li Bin

Neurosurgery

1min 32sec

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How is a cerebral infarction treated?

The treatment principles for cerebral infarction include thrombolysis, anticoagulation, volume expansion, lowering blood pressure, and brain protection. The main goal is to improve the blood circulation in the ischemic area of the brain as soon as possible and promote the recovery of neurological functions. During the acute phase, patients should rest in bed as much as possible, enhance care for skin, oral cavity, respiratory tract, and excretion, and maintain electrolyte balance. If a patient still cannot eat 48 to 72 hours after onset, nasogastric feeding with liquid nutrition should be provided to ensure nutritional supply. The priority should be given to the patient's daily care, diet, and the management of other comorbidities. Since some patients with cerebral infarction cannot take care of themselves during the acute phase and may even have difficulty swallowing, without adequate nutrition, metabolic issues can arise quickly. In such cases, even the best medications can fail to achieve positive outcomes. Since cerebral thrombosis is the most common type of cerebral infarction characterized by high incidence, high mortality, high recurrence rate, and high disability rate, patients may experience mild hemiplegia or severe scenarios leading to loss of life. Therefore, lifelong medication is necessary to prevent recurrence, achieve secondary prevention, and ultimately reduce the recurrence of cerebral infarction.

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Written by Shu Zhi Qiang

Neurosurgery

43sec

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post-stroke sequelae

Brain infarction is a very common type of ischemic cerebrovascular disease, which mainly includes the following types: the most common are lacunar infarction, cerebral thrombosis, and cerebral embolism. The neurological sequelae of lacunar infarction are not particularly typical, and patients may exhibit mild incomplete paralysis of limbs, decreased muscle strength, reduced sensation, or ataxia. Cerebral thrombosis and cerebral embolism often cause extensive brain infarction, where patients typically experience severe limb paralysis, loss of sensation, increased tendon reflexes, positive pathological reflexes, and an inability to care for themselves.