This article will provide reasons why massage therapy is an important part of stroke rehabilitation and recovery. It will also explain a stroke survivor begin the use of massage therapy in the rehabilitation process and who should do it. You will find the article helpful as you consider including it in your rehabilitation plan.
Reasons why Massage Therapy is important for stroke rehabilitation and treatment
One reason is that strokes usually cause partial or total paralysis of the affected part of the body, (a condition known as hemiplegia). It can also cause weakness of the affected part, (known as hemiparesis). From the standpoint of the brain, communication to the affected part of the body is either fully lost or partially not recognized. In most cases, the brain sees that part of the body as dead. Hence, it becomes abandoned or neglected.
Another reason is that blood circulation to the affected part becomes poor or even severely restricted. As a result, the tissues, the muscles, and the joints become stiff. The survivor feels constant heaviness and pain from head to toes on the affected side.
My experience in stroke treatment and rehabilitation reveals that to restore life, feelings, and sensation to a paralyzed parts of the body, especially from the early stages of an attack, massage is indispensable.
The pressing, rubbing, kneading, and manipulating of the skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and all soft tissues gradually activates the brain’s natural ability to rewire itself and open up the paralyzed part so that life can come into it. The human body is malleable and can respond to constant touch and pressure to soften once hard or stiff areas.
While it is true that physiotherapy is important in the treatment and rehabilitation of stroke survivors, it might not be very effective at the early stages because the survivors in most cases lose control of the affected part. Even with assistance and the use of equipment, it takes a long time for control and movement to be restored.
But with the use of massage, control and movement are quicker. This makes it easier for physical therapy to become effective. Hence, a combination of physical and massage therapies usually speeds up the recovery process.
Starting with massage and combining physiotherapy after at least the first week of massage, depending on the severity and level of damages to the affected part, works faster. In fact the two therapies should remain the mainstay of the rehabilitation process throughout the recovery period and beyond. In all cases, this approach hardly fails.
In deciding to include massage therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation process of a stroke survivor it is very important to know the right time to begin it’s use. That is what we will discuss next.
When should Massage Begin?
In African traditional medicine, a stroke survivor begins to receive massage when the symptoms are noticed, even before an attack occurs. Hot spices, roots, herbs, special clay materials, and other things are grinded together and applied after massage. From then on massage becomes the main part of the treatment along with alternative medicine and other therapies. However, if stroke has already occurred and necessary intervention procedures are observed, massage begins as soon as the individual is stable. Whether the intervention was done at hospital or otherwise, it is used side by side with other therapies from the early stages of treatment and rehabilitation.
While this may not be a “standard” procedure, it works effectively especially in cases involving ischemic and mild strokes. Even in hemorrhagic stroke, because of complications that usually accompany it, hospitalization could be longer and this can affect when to begin massage therapy.
As to when Massage therapy should begin after a stroke whether minor or major, following the best practice, the answer should be, after damages to the brain have been fully controlled. This will include restoring blood supply fully to the brain.
Most times the best place to handle damages to the brain is at the hospitals where doctors will carry out emergency interventions to stop an attack, control damages, stabilize and do adequate evaluations before the survivor is discharged for rehabilitation.
After that massage can start immediately as the first therapy in the rehabilitation process, thereby laying the foundation for physiotherapy and others.
The earlier massage is introduced, the faster it takes to address the damages on the affected part. Blood circulation in the affected part will quickly improve, hardening of joints and muscles will be minimized, swellings of the affected feet and palm might be prevented, nerve signals will begin to restore within days, tissue repairs will increase, and pains will generally begin to reduce.
If you introduce massage early in the rehabilitation process, the result is better and faster. Starting within the first few days after a stroke is fine, especially in cases involving ischemic stokes. But in hemorrhagic stroke it is better to ensure that all bleeding related issues have be thoroughly controlled.
It is also important to take into consideration how long the person stayed at the hospital. But if the hospital has a massage therapist, it can start from there. If you start massage anytime from three weeks, one month, and above, the pains are usually much both on the survivor and on the therapist or massager.
That is not to say that you cannot introduce massage at any time if it was not used at the beginning of the rehabilitation. The truth is that no time is too late.
Even in old cases where it was not used during rehabilitation, it can be introduced or reintroduced as the case may be.
If you have challenges in a rehabilitation process, massage is one very effective therapy that can go a long way to improve the overall situation and help you, (the survivor) regain functional independence.
You might be wondering, Am not a massage therapist and I don’t even know anyone, who then will do it? Or how I can know the therapist that will be suitable for the job? We will give attention to these questions in the following section.
Who should Do the Massage?
One thing is that stroke massage is a specialized kind of massage. Not even all therapists can do it. It requires someone who has some knowledge of stroke and its dynamics. It also requires someone who has patience and compassion for the victim. He must be a committed person. Many people will start and never finish it.
What If There Is No Therapist Around Where You Live Or You Cannot Afford One?
The truth is that a half massage done regularly is better than none. It might take longer to achieve the desired result but over time the result will surely be better than when it was not used at all.
So if there is no qualified therapist around or you cannot afford to hire one, anybody can do something. Start with the little you can do and gradually if you have the qualities listed above you will learn on the job and improve with time.
I will recommend that you watch some YouTube videos on massage and the generally principles.
You will find several approaches and techniques from different therapists around the world. Be open to learn the methods used from various regions. The principles are similar if not same, but the practice varies depending on who and where.
You can also download apps on massage and acupressure to learn more about important massage and pressure points in the body that can stimulate and activate essential functions in the body including the brain. These will help you to at least have the basic knowledge which you need to do something. As you practice try to be flexible and versatile. Don’t stick to a single approach.
Experiment with as many as you can. Along the line you will discover what will work for you. You will even begin to create your own techniques. There is no cast on stone rules to it.
This is not intended to make you a massage therapist of some sort, unless you chose to pursue it as a career eventually. The focus here is to help you fill a gap and assist your loved one or someone else who is in need. As earlier mentioned a half massage is better for anybody and especially for a stroke survivor than none. Whatever you are able to do in this regard will go a very long way in improving the recovery process for good.
Secondly, no knowledge is a waste and believe you me, knowing some basic principles of massage is a huge asset not only for the benefit of a stroke survivor but also for the health and general wellbeing of every person. Tell me who hasn’t done a massage since birth and who will not need some sort of it someday? See it as an opportunity to learn something new that will continue to be of good use to you and others, not only now but also in the future.
Another important thing that needs to be considered in stroke massage is the frequency. This section will help us see how often it should be done and why. It will also show you how long a massage session should last.
Summary
Paralysis is one of the major physical side effect of stroke, massage therapy plays important role in helping loosen stiff, tight muscles and tissues. In addition it promotes effective circulation which is very important during all stages of stroke treatment and recovery.
The best time to begin Massage therapy after a stroke whether minor or major, following the best practice is, after damages to the brain have been fully controlled. This will include restoring blood supply fully to the brain.
If there is no qualified therapist around or you cannot afford to hire one, anybody can do something. Start with the little you can do and gradually you will get better. If you follow the suggestion given in the article you will surely make meaningful impact in helping your love one towards. A half massage done regularly is better than none. It might take longer to achieve the desired result but over time the result will surely be better than when it was not used at all.
Book to link: Massage Therapy and Stroke – why, when and how to Use.