Spasticity in the affected arm and leg, that is, tightening in the bent position, is a problem for many people after a stroke. This can be brought on by effort, anxiety and fatigue. It is often worse at the end of the day. Spasm can be prevented to some extent by good positioning of the … Read more
Someone who has had a stroke is likely to tire easily and may need frequent short rests and perhaps an afternoon nap. Deciding on priorities and concentrating energy on those activities that are most interesting or rewarding will help. If struggling to dress independently is so tiring that the patient has to sit in a … Read more
Any treatment the family doctor advises for high blood pressure or for too much fat in the blood-stream must be strictly observed, and alcoholic drinks should be taken only with caution and well-diluted, as their action may be enhanced by the effects of the stroke. Weight should be kept down by eating less fat and … Read more
After a stroke there is a temptation to lie in bed, waiting to get better and instead becoming weaker and more dependent on others. As soon as the doctor allows, the patient should get out of bed, if only to sit in a chair, and progress to getting dressed and beginning to join in the … Read more
Some patients will be taken into hospital after a stroke. If they are kept in long enough they will have physiotherapy to help get them moving, occupational therapy to help with activities of daily living and, if they have speech or language problems, speech therapy. After discharge from hospital, or if they have never been … Read more
There are three important points that contribute to effective and speedy recovery:- 1. Rehabilitation should start as soon after a stroke as possible. 2. The patient’s desire to become independent and the support provided by the family will be critical. 3. Specialists’ help should be sought from both health and social services as appropriate. Post … Read more
There are other areas waiting to be investigated. It may well be that pressure recorders into the arteries and veins will give us a clue to the heart muscle or that the introduction of miniaturised flowmeters and complex mechanics of the circulation, We are still in the dark about the and so many young and … Read more
These are achievements of the recent past. What advances can we hope for in the next few years? While nobody can predict the future, there are certain areas where it is possible to visualise important and exciting discoveries. Intensive coronary care, for all the benefit it has brought, is still in a relatively primitive stage … Read more
Much of the cost of hospital research is a consequence of this necessity for absolute safety in developing new treatments. In contrast to many other forms of research, risks cannot be taken when dealing with human beings. Everything must be checked over and over again. The administration of a new treatment to a patient must … Read more
New and powerful drugs are now available for the management excessive fluid on the lungs relieved. This means that a patient with heart control of heart failure. The swelling of the limbs can be cured and also failure can walk and breathe again. Even when the drugs which are used for these purposes are developed … Read more