When a person has a stroke or stroke , it can cause hemiplegia in some patients and often in the elderly. Hemiplegia is manifested by paralysis on the left or right side of the body. It is an attack of the central nervous system. Hemiplegia can affect one or more parts of the body
If the affected hemisphere is located in the brain on the left side, then the paralysis will be on the right side and vice versa. When the right side is affected, the patient often experiences hemineglect which is an impression that his body is no longer his. He may still experience orientation disorders . If it is the left side that is affected, then he suffers from language disorders or/and motor disorders . Hemiplegia can still be total. In this case, the patient no longer moves any of his limbs. If the hemiplegia is partial, he can make some movements outside the part of his body that is paralyzed.
There are two kinds of hemiplegia:
Spastic hemiplegia is characterized by significant stiffness of the muscles.
Flaccid hemiplegia induces a loss of tone in the patient's muscles, which become soft and weak.
Depending on the degree of disability encountered, we also speak of proportional hemiplegia or not proportional. In the first case, the muscles are affected in the same way and in the second, one of the limbs is more affected than the other.
When a person is experiencing hemiplegia, they have difficulty making certain movements. If it is partial, gestures will be awkward and walking will often be difficult. At the same time, she will be very tired. If the hemiplegia is total, the person will not be able to move. She may have difficulty eating and also lose her vision and memory. At the same time, hemiplegia paralyzes part of the face with sagging of an eyelid and mouth on the same side. Other symptoms may manifest as:
The main cause of hemiplegia is stroke or cerebrovascular accident. Stroke is an obstruction or a rupture of a vessel in the brain . This problem is the cause of a lack of oxygenation of the affected part of the brain. The stroke can be accompanied by a cerebral hemorrhage which is a possible consequence. Hemiplegia can still occur as a result of:
Hemiplegia is diagnosed by a doctor. This is usually a neurologist . During the consultation, he will determine which hemisphere of the brain has been injured. He will also test the patient to check his reflexes and muscle mass. At the same time, the neurologist will look for the cause that triggered the hemiplegia. A complete blood test is passed as well as a scanner, a Doppler ultrasound, an electroencephalogram, a lumbar puncture or an MRI to take stock of the affected areas.
Currently, there is still no treatment to treat a patient totally affected by hemiplegia. He was hospitalized urgently so that the cause could be defined and the hemiplegia stopped. If it is determined that the hemiplegia is due to a stroke, the patient will be treated differently depending on whether it is an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke . In all cases, the patient will receive drug treatment to treat the symptoms of hemiplegia. He will then follow a rehabilitation which will be provided by a physiotherapist to treat motor sequelae. A speech therapist will also intervene if there are language disorders. Locally, injections of botulinum toxin can treat muscle stiffness, but sometimes surgical treatment is necessary.
When an elderly person is cared for immediately after hemiplegia, the progression can be contained if the paralysis is detected and eliminated. After the acute phase, she will gradually recover her motor functions with an adapted rehabilitation in his case. She can recover and heal partially or totally except in certain cases where the lesions are irreversible.
If a person has already had hemiplegia, it is often recommended by the medical profession that they go on a de-sodium diet and lose some weight. Blood pressure is often checked as well.
