Hemiplegia is a type of cerebral palsy that affects one side of the body leaving it paralyzed and very weak.
Hemiplegia can happen due to complications in pregnancy, being called congenital hemiplegia, or due to situations that affect the brain, such as Stroke, infection that affects the nervous system, sclerosis and, even, being a consequence of the aggravation diabetes, being called acquired hemiplegia.
Although it cannot be completely reversed, the treatment of hemiplegia should be done as soon as possible to improve the person's quality of life, which is usually done with physical therapy.
Main causes
Hemiplegia can be caused by brain damage, such as hemorrhage, congestion or embolism, and can also appear as a symptom of atherosclerosis or after a stroke. Learn how to identify stroke.
Although different types of injuries can cause cerebral palsy, it can occur especially during the first years of life when the child develops serious illnesses such as meningitis, infections or severe dehydration, but in many cases its cause is unknown.
Cerebral palsy is progressive, although symptoms can range from almost imperceptible to severe spasticity (stiffness), in all forms speech can be difficult to understand due to the difficulty in controlling the muscles related to the pronunciation of words. Understand what spasticity is.
Features of hemiplegia
Hemiplegia can be characterized by pain in the joints, decreased sensitivity on the side of the affected body and difficulty in performing movements. Other characteristics of hemiplegia are:
- Affected side of the contracted face, leaving the mouth crooked and difficulty opening and closing the eyes; Difficulty in the movements of the arm and leg on the side affected by the "stroke"; Spasticity or stiffness, in which the arm tends to shrink and the leg tends to get very hard and it is difficult to bend the knee; Difficulty in starting movements with the affected arm and leg; Scoliosis.
Depending on the side of the brain affected, there may be other signs and symptoms, such as:
1. Left hemiplegia - Brain injury on the right side:
- Difficulty in orienting yourself in relation to the environment; Neglect on the left side of the body; Do not dress starting from the affected side; Difficulty with numbers, making it difficult to calculate, for example.
2. Hemiplegia on the right - Brain injury on the left side:
- He does not recognize the numeric symbols (+ - =); Difficulty in distinguishing the right side from the left in himself and in others; Difficulty in remembering what he was going to do; Difficulty in planning or executing tasks.
These changes may not all be present in the person as it depends on the severity of the injury and his recovery.
In addition, depending on the symptoms, hemiplegia can be classified into 4 types: spastic, choreoathetoid, ataxic and mixed. Learn more about types of hemiplegia.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of hemiplegia is done with the objective of improving the person's quality of life, with rehabilitation usually being performed with functional therapy and physiotherapy, mainly, since it improves the facial aspect, the mobility of the limbs and gives more independence for the person to carry out their activities. daily. Learn how physical therapy for hemiplegia is performed.
In some cases, the use of botulinum toxin is indicated as a way of decreasing spasticity and improving the person's ability to move, but not all are indicated for such treatment. As a rule, treatment for hemiplegia is done only with physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and, sometimes, physical activity performed individually with a capable physical educator.
Surgery is performed only in the latter case, when the person has muscle contractures, and is done by cutting some ligaments to relieve contractures.
