by Neuro rehabilitation refers to the practice of restoring function for individuals living with neurological disorders or injuries to the nervous system. It encompasses multiple disciplines and strategies designed to decrease impairments, disabilities, or handicaps while ultimately improving the quality of life for patients.
Neurorehabilitation may take time and is tailored to each person individually. A therapist will work closely with you to set achievable goals and encourage as much independence as possible, but that’s not all they do – so read the following article to learn about what services these wonderful practitioners may provide.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapists are health care professionals who assist their patients to enhance their physical function, decrease pain and maintain independence through hands-on therapy. Physiotherapy involves the assessment, treatment, and management of conditions affecting respiratory, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, musculoskeletal, and other systems of the body.
Chartered physiotherapists are qualified healthcare professionals with in-depth knowledge of the body’s anatomy, physiology and kinesiology. In addition, they possess various therapeutic techniques and equipment to treat various conditions and injuries.
Therapists may work in different settings, including hospitals, clinics, and community-based physiotherapy practices. They may work individually or as a part of a team with doctors, nurses, and other therapists.
As part of a multidisciplinary team, physiotherapists offer many services for individuals suffering neurological impairments or disabilities. Their tailored treatment programs aim to meet each patient’s unique needs while increasing the quality of life.
Brain, spinal cord or nerve disorders can have severe impacts on the quality of life for the patient and their loved ones, yet neurological rehabilitation offers hope in helping these individuals return to their previous abilities and activities. Neuro rehabilitation works to enhance quality of life for all parties involved.
Physiotherapy can assist in managing or preventing injuries and medical conditions such as back pain, sudden injury, arthritis, and long-term health concerns such as asthma or diabetes (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160645). It can prepare you for childbirth, sports participation or surgical procedures.
Movement therapies (such as kinesiotherapy, visceral manipulation therapy, and craniofacial therapy) can assist in improving muscle control, balance, coordination and spasticity reduction – the excessive stiffness in muscles or joints which restricts movement.
Therapy may also aim to foster healthy habits and a balanced lifestyle to facilitate maximum recovery. This may involve nutritional guidance, physical training programs or mental health counseling to help manage the effects of neurological conditions in everyday life.
Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is an integral component of neuro rehabilitation. This specialized form of therapy may be required after suffering a stroke or another brain injury to help rehabilitate communication and thinking abilities.
As well, it helps patients learn how to utilize the muscles of their mouth and throat for swallowing. A brain injury may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing properly, making it hard for you to eat, drink or take medications properly.
Speech therapists are specialists in communication and can teach you the techniques necessary to improve the way you speak or connect with those closest to you following an injury. They will teach how to manage brain activity when speaking.
Speech therapy can treat various speech and language disorders, such as aphasia, dysarthria, and voice disorders.
Aphasia is a severe speech disorder in which individuals experience difficulty speaking clearly or understanding others. It’s typically brought on by stroke, though other brain conditions could also contribute.
Dysarthria is another speech disorder which you can learn about here; it leads to individuals saying words slowly or slurring them, often due to stroke, brain tumor, traumatic brain injury or neurological conditions that affect muscles of the throat and tongue.
These disorders may be addressed using speech therapy techniques that utilize articulation therapy, voice training and/or other approaches depending on the nature of their disorder.
Speech therapy can be extremely useful in working toward your individual goals and helping you retrain the muscles necessary for effective speech. They may even provide memory support in order to develop language skills and remember commands taught during sessions.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (https://wfot.org/about/about-occupational-therapy) is the practice of helping people engage in everyday activities meaningfully and productively, from treating children with physical disabilities or delays in development to adults suffering from an injury or illness. Occupational therapists work in various settings such as hospitals, clinics, schools or residential care centers.
An occupational therapist takes great care during their assessment process to understand your individual needs, goals, and abilities in order to devise a care plan designed to help achieve them and enhance quality of life.
At your initial appointment, an occupational therapist (OT) will conduct an interview to gather a complete history of your medical, social, vocational and emotional background as well as your current level of functioning across various domains as well as to understand any challenges or limitations to care.
Once they understand all your challenges, therapists will devise a plan that makes life easier for you – like getting dressed, playing sports, taking care of yourself and others or performing your job. This may involve adapting home or office spaces accordingly, using assistive devices (such as wheelchairs, canes or grabbers) for mobility purposes or engaging in daily activities that interest them.
Vocational Counseling
Though physical healing is important, it’s only one part of the journey. Vocational counseling is an integral component of neuro rehab, helping those living with disabilities find employment and leads more fulfilling lives. Counseling services may open up new doors of opportunity while raising self-esteem levels among clients.
Vocational counselors work in numerous environments, such as state unemployment offices, social service agencies and private practices. Their duties usually consist of assessing client skills and abilities before leading them through the employment application process.
Sometimes these services are provided free of charge; however, in certain instances higher fees may apply. Government vocational counselors can help people living with disabilities find work that will pay their bills and increase independence, as well as training on using computers and adaptive devices such as wheelchairs.
Vocational counselors earn an estimated annual average salary of $61,341, however this can fluctuate based on experience and education requirements. Please keep in mind that many positions for vocational counselors require at least a bachelor’s degree in counseling, psychology, social work or sociology for eligibility.
A vocational counselor must have the ability to assess their client’s skills, capabilities and interests as well as know about various treatment and rehabilitation programs that could meet those needs.
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