Hemiplegia is a stroke or paralysis that affects only one side of the body. Common symptoms include complaints such as loss of function or weakness in the muscles of the face, arms and legs. It occurs as a result of blockage in one or more of the vessels in the brain tissue. As a result of impaired blood circulation to the brain, the relevant part of the brain is deprived of oxygen and tissue damage called ischemia occurs. Ischemia affects one side of the body and causes complete or partial loss of body function.
Conditions such as stroke or paralysis are among the leading causes of loss of function. In cases where lesions such as tumors or abscesses compress the brain tissue, progression is much slower and can hardly be noticed. There is a mild loss of muscles that are controlled by the affected part of the brain. This then progresses and affects one side of the body. The first step in treatment is physical therapy and rehabilitation.
What are the Causes of Hemiplegia?
Among the causes of hemiplegia are conditions such as blockage, rupture or oxygen deprivation of these tissues in the nourishing vessels in the brain tissue. In addition, an important factor that causes the development of this condition is stroke. Therefore, conditions that lead to stroke can also cause hemiplegia. In addition to these, the causes that increase the risk of cerebrovascular events (CVO) and lead to hemiplegia can be listed as follows: other causes can be listed as follows:
Hypertension
The risk of stroke in patients with chronic hypertension is 4 times higher than normal. Approximately 60 percent of stroke cases develop due to hypertension.
Heart and Vascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases can affect the vessels of the brain, causing narrowing, hardening and blockages in these vessels. If the blood supply to the vessels supplying the brain tissue is not ensured, oxygen loss occurs in the tissues and the risk of SVO increases. In addition, arrhythmia increases the risk of stroke by 5 times.
Diabetes
The functioning of all systems in the body is highly interconnected. Therefore, the presence of systemic diseases such as diabetes can lead to many health problems such as blockage of blood vessels.
Smoking
All organs, especially the lungs, are adversely affected in smokers. Cigarettes and similar tobacco products disrupt vascular structure and blood circulation, reduce oxygen density, and this leads to damage to nerve cells in the brain.
What are the Symptoms of Hemiplegia?
It is very important for people to know the symptoms of stroke, which occurs as a result of blockage in the vessels in the brain, in terms of early diagnosis and intervention. Symptoms may vary depending on the part of the brain that is damaged, while another part of the body is affected depending on the part of the brain that is affected. Symptoms include impaired speech and vision, numbness on one side of the body, loss of strength or weakness in the arms and legs.
In some cases, such neurological symptoms can last for as little as 24 hours and then disappear, while in others they can cause long-term muscle and nerve cell loss. Some of the symptoms that may vary from person to person and depending on the severity of the condition include
- Loss of strength and weakness in the face, arms and legs
- Numbness or numbness on one side of the body, such as the face, arms and legs
- Difficulty walking or sitting
- Loss of hand movements
- Dizziness or loss of balance
- Difficulty speaking
- Blurring or loss of vision on one side of the eye
How is hemiplegia treated?
People with hemiplegia undergo multidisciplinary rehabilitation involving many specialists such as neurologists, neurosurgeons, physiotherapists and mental health specialists. In the treatment of hemiplegia, the first aim is to cure the factors that cause unilateral paralysis. In addition, physical therapy and rehabilitation is the preferred effective method for treatment. In cases such as cerebral hemorrhage or vascular occlusion, the specialist may prefer drug treatment and prevent possible damage.
If drug treatment is beneficial, hemiplegia rehabilitation can be applied depending on the patient's health condition. The absence of brain damage in the history of the disease, the young age of the patient, the absence of intestinal dysfunction and the absence of a mental problem increase the likelihood of successful physical therapy applications.
It is very important to start treatment in the early stages. If treatment is delayed, the patient may experience bone loss or osteoporosis. Serious complications such as impaired bowel function and inflammation of the veins can also occur.