Stroke recovery occurs in two stages. The first stage is acute recovery, and the second is long-term rehabilitation. Each stage is an important part of the recovery process, and working hard through the entire process ensures the best chance of regaining skills damaged during the stroke. The length of time it takes to recover from a stroke depends on the extent of the damage by the stroke, the skill of the rehabilitation team and the willingness of the stroke victim and family to work on rehabilitation.
During the initial, acute recovery stage, the rehabilitation team will encourage the stroke victim to move as much as possible. They will engage in what is known as passive movement. During passive movement, a therapist or nurse physically moves body parts that the stroke patient is unable to move on their own. If speech was affected by the stroke, speech therapy will also begin very early on. This rehabilitation begins as soon as the patient is stabilized from the stroke, ideally within 24 hours.
The second phase of stroke recovery involves intensive therapy. This therapy can last for weeks, months or years. During the initial days of therapy, the improvements to a patient typically occur rapidly. This rapid improvement provides the patient incentive to continue with his stroke recovery program.
Eventually the progress slows, and the stroke patient may become frustrated. It is important that the stroke recovery program continue. Although progress will slow, it will continue. About 10% of stroke victims will recover almost completely. An additional 25% will recover with only minor physical or mental impairments.
To become one of the 35% of people who is able to regain a good portion of their life after suffering from a stroke, it is important to continue with all prescribed therapy. Physical and occupational therapists will help the stroke patient regain as much mobility as possible, and then show them how to compensate for any lost skills. A speech therapist works to help the patient regain as much speech as possible, and then refine those skills so that they can communicate with others.
If insurance stops paying for stroke recovery, or the rehabilitation team deems it nonproductive to continue, the stroke patient can continue to work on their own. Nearly all rehabilitation efforts focus on the directed and highly focused practice of skills. The key to regaining lost skills is repetition. Endless repetitions of lost skills will eventually help the brain rewire itself so that the function can become automatic.
