Post-Stroke Recovery
by Physician Peh Tian Chi
10 August 2022
"Recovery is a process. It takes time and patience. Never give up and let us help you rebuild your strength together. "
Stroke is a sudden interruption of blood flow to the brain, resulting in the loss of neurological function. It happens when blood flow is cut off by either blockage or rupture of blood vessels. Symptoms of a stroke will show up in the body parts that are controlled by the damaged areas of the brain.
Every stroke patient has their own recovery timeline depending on the severity of stroke and its complications; despite that, the progression of stroke recovery timeline is rather similar.
Timeline of Stroke Recovery
1st 24hours: Identify a Stroke
When a stroke is suspected, you will be admitted to the emergency department. Doctors will identify the type of stroke you suffered from and immediately commence treatment. Rehabilitation will start quickly during the early stages of spontaneous recovery when the brain is rapidly trying to restore from an injury. The severity of stroke ranges from mild to severe. There are people who can recover fast - within 24hours - , while some may need to be placed in the intensive care unit for monitoring.
When a patient visits the TCM clinic at this stage, the physician will call ambulance immediately once a stroke is suspected.
1st few weeks: Initial Recovery Phase
Depending on the severity and complexity of your stroke, doctors and therapists will evaluate your condition and provide a treatment plan for you. Depending on your recovery, you may be discharged. Once you are ready for rehabilitation, you may continue rehab exercises with the therapists at home or the inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation center.
After discharge, you may visit TCM clinic or engage in TCM house call treatments to speed up the recovery process.
Acupuncture is one of the most commonly used practices to treat a post-stroke patient, it helps to recover the affected body and brain functions.
1st 3 months: Intensive Recovery Phase
This is the most important phase where you may see rapid improvement in your progress. Keep in mind that you may experience seizures, second stroke or other complications anytime after a stroke. This is why it is important to work with a good support team who will closely monitor your condition while trying their best to reduce your chances of having recurrent strokes.
This is a crucial phase where acupuncture can effectively stimulate the brain and speed up the healing; this will help to enhance rehabilitation therapy too.
Some physicians may prescribe Chinese medicine during this phase to improve body conditions and support recovery.
3-6 months: Continual Recovery Phase
Many stroke patients’ recovery rate will start to plateau here to see your progress slowing down. The doctors and therapists will continue to monitor your condition while you try to reclaim your independence such that you are able to handle activities of daily living (ADL) with minimum support. Some patients will continue to regain functions during this period while others may have ongoing impairments.
Patients may find that their circulation and constitution have weakened after the stroke.
In this regard, acupuncture plays a supportive role in helping the body optimize the meridian system while promoting better circulation. It also plays an crucial role in staving off the plateau that sees much slower recovery progress.
Physicians may encourage the use of Chinese medicine or emphasize Chinese Medicine oriented food nutrition to support the body in a more holistic manner.
After 6 months: Chronic stroke
This is the phase when you learn to adapt to permanent lifestyle changes with care and support by family and medical care team. Your recovery is ongoing as long you never give up working on it. Some patients take up to a few years to regain their speech ability and mobility functions.
Physician will assess each patient’s condition and provide an individualized and comprehensive treatment plan to optimize their recovery in this phase while preventing recurrent stroke.
