Is Your Stroke Recovery Slowing Down?

Is Your Stroke Recovery Slowing Down?

Why does progress seem to plateau after a few months?

By now I’m sure you know that the loss of strength and function after a stroke primarily results from the death of nerve cells.  But there are also many nerve cells around that area of the stroke that were damaged, but not killed, by the stroke.  These nerve cells were temporarily damaged by the swelling or the influx of chemicals the body has sent to attempt repairing the site of injury.  As the swelling decreases, and these nerve cells on the periphery of the stroke begin working again, your body typically experiences it’s most rapid improvement in strength and function.  This is not neuroplasticity at work in the brain.  After a few month’s, when all of the nerve cells that weren’t killed by the stroke are now functioning at full steam, your progress seems to slow down….or even stop.  Unfortunately this is the point that many rehab services are discontinued, because progress has seemed to plateau.  But the game’s not over yet!  The real work has just begun.  Now it’s time for you to take advantage of the brain’s neuroplasticity, and re-wire the neural circuits of your brain, in order to achieve further recovery in strength and function.