It is a paralysis, that is, a reduction or total abolition of the movement of the body, which reaches one of its sides. It can uniformly reach the entire hemibody, face, upper limb and lower limb, in which case we speak of proportional hemiplegia, or one or more of these parts. Hemiplegia is due to an involvement of the central nervous system, which can affect part of the brain or spinal cord.
If the hemiplegia is located on the left side of the brain, it is the right hemisphere that will present the motor symptoms; on the contrary, it is the left hemibody that is affected in the case of right brain injury.
The most common causes of hemiplegia are strokes and a tumor in rarer cases. The cause must be treated to promote healing, but hemiplegia can sometimes leave sequelae, particularly in the case of stroke that causes irreversible damage to the brain.
There are many symptoms experienced by the person suffering from hemiplegia. However, among the most important we would highlight the following:
- Memory loss.
- Problems walking, balance, or seeing.
- A considerable increase in emotional sensitivity.
- Tingling and even numbness of the parts of the body.
- Decreased ability to control sphincters.
Immediate care is symptomatic, that is, aimed at alleviating symptoms: rest, control of blood pressure, corticosteroids in hemorrhages that occur with hypertension within the brain. In some cases of bleeding, surgical evacuation of the blood is necessary. The most serious cases are those due to the rupture of an arteriovenous malformation that had never before manifested symptoms.
Recovery of the damaged brain takes place in the medium term, which varies from 3 to 18 months. It can be a more or less good recovery in relation to the size of the damaged brain area and its importance in terms of connections and functions. It is necessary to maintain the treatment of blood pressure for life, as well as the abandonment of risk factors (especially tobacco, alcohol, oral contraceptives), as well as the control of cholesterol and triglycerides.
In cases of ischemic disorder, aspirin or another antiplatelet agent will be used, or anticoagulants if necessary. Of course, these agents will not be used in the case of bleeding. Psychological support and rehabilitation measures (physical, speech, etc.) will depend on the damaged area of the brain and functional injuries in each case.
