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Neurological Rehabilitation

Neurological Rehabilitation At PT Solutions

Neurological conditions are much more complicated and difficult to treat than something like a broken bone or sprained ankle. The nervous system is a part of the entire body and not visible from the outside or found in a single area that can be treated. Any damage to the nervous system doesn’t just limit functional movement, but also impacts the ability to carry out fundamental tasks independently. The complexity also means that each case is completely unique, and there is no simple, one size fits all version of treatment.

Neurological rehabilitation allows for patients to receive medical treatment in a supervised facility as they work towards regaining and improving quality of life and restoring as much movement as possible. The therapists at PT Solutions work with patients to treat their neurological concerns independently, approaching cases with knowledge and training that help you reach your goals and return to daily life with ease.

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WHAT IS NEUROLOGICAL REHABILITATION?

While neurological rehabilitation is related to the broader practice of neurology, it is different than simple medical treatment related to the nerves. The goal of rehabilitation is to focus on education and empowering patients to cope with daily life as independently as possible with any neurological conditions that may be present or have a lingering effect. Unlike a procedure such as surgery, rehabilitation is not done to a patient, but is a process that involves their cooperation and participation. In addition to the physical elements of this process, there is also a mental and emotional component that is critical to healing. In order to achieve rehabilitation, a number of professionals are involved in creating a personalized and comprehensive program.

Common Neurological Disorder Symptoms

Because the nervous system impacts almost every function in the body, signs of an issue can range from minor to severe and be difficult to relate to a neurological condition. Certain conditions will impact one area of the body, while others will have emotional and cognitive presentations.

What Are the Signs of Neurological Problems?

Some general signs that may indicate a neurological issue can include the following:

  • Headaches
  • Blurred Vision
  • Fatigue
  • Weakness
  • Slurred Speech
  • Unusual Tremors
  • Changes in Behavior
  • Numbness in the Arms or Legs
  • Changes to Coordination Ability and Balance

All of these symptoms can also be tied to other non-neurological problems and do not necessarily mean the nervous system is the issue. However, these are signs that you should seek professional assistance to rule out any serious issues.

Symptoms of Neurological Disorders

If you present with these symptoms or others that may be neurological in nature, it will be important for your medical team to properly diagnose your condition. This will involve an understanding of your medical history and multiple exams. A physical examination will help gauge your muscle strength coordination, range of motion, and reflexes; another exam will look at your general levels of attention cognition, and sensation. Other things, like your balance or gait, may be assessed as well.

Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders

Based on these results, some scans or further diagnostic tests could be used to understand the severity of your diagnosis. However, some neurological problems, like those caused by a concussion, for example, may not appear on any scans.

What Conditions Can Benefit from Neurological Rehab?

Whether a condition is newly acquired, acute, chronic, or has gone a long time without treatment, it can be a candidate for neurological rehabilitation and physical therapy. It is important to understand if a condition is progressive and will worsen over time, requiring ongoing care, or if it will be reversed through treatment and maintain the healed state.

Some conditions commonly treated by neurological physical therapy include:

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Strokes

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Spinal Cord Injuries

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Poly-neuropathy

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Vertigo

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Multiple Sclerosis

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Parkinson’s Disease

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Cerebral Palsy

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Als (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)

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Guillain-barre Syndrome

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Traumatic Brain Injuries

Many conditions will never be fully reversed by physical therapy, and the goal will be to prevent the worsening of the problem or regain some lost abilities. The extent to which strength is regained may vary based on a number of factors. However, many people see improvement with just one or two physical therapy sessions. A proper rehabilitation program will involve a series of regular sessions with your therapist in order to ensure these results are long-lasting and the body has completely adapted as needed.

What Are Follow-Up Requirements and Options?

For chronic conditions, physical therapy may be an ongoing activity for maintenance without a planned “last” session. More acute issues may have a set course of therapy. Both scenarios can include home exercises you are asked to do to maintain progress outside of the office. Many people will feel immediate improvement and stop their home exercises, landing them right back in their original condition.

Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT FROM RECOVERY?

Recovery from neurological damage can ebb and flow, making it important to adhere to all follow-up instructions you are given. Because you are exercising, it is also common to feel soreness and additional symptoms in this period, which can be a sign of your body returning to its prior state of health.

Why Is PT Solutions the Best Neurological Therapy Center?

When seeking neurological rehab, you have a range of choices for who to visit. PT Solutions prides itself on our different approaches to therapy, offering a dedicated and encouraging staff who uses strictly evidence-based practices grounded in up-to-date scientific research. The core of our team is the physical therapists who work with patients daily to create and execute treatment plans, helping them to gain strength and return to a higher quality of life.

How Each Professional Can Help You with Recovery

PT Solutions also offers access to occupational therapists, speech therapists, and sports therapists who can add their expertise to certain patients’ care. By combining these services, we are able to offer comprehensive care, including interventions like:

  • Balance and gait training
  • Vestibular rehabilitation
  • Progressive power and strengthening exercises
  • Aerobic conditioning and endurance training
  • Proprioception training
  • Transfer and functional movement training
  • Patient education and community integration plans

Through these techniques and our commitment to new and emerging research, we are able to help PT Solutions patients achieve their goals quickly and effectively.

Neurological Rehab Program PTS

THE NEUROLOGICAL REHAB PROGRAM

Each patient’s neurological rehabilitation program will be unique to them and their health needs, as well as where they are receiving care. An inpatient program may last only two to three weeks, with constant and intensive sessions being administered. For outpatient programs, there is likely to be a longer duration with sessions more spread out and at-home exercises used as supplemental treatment.

What Is a Neurological Clinical Specialist?

As a part of the team that provides neurological rehabilitation, a neurological clinical specialist is a critical role that brings expertise beyond that of a general physical therapist. As licensed physical therapists, these specialists have the knowledge and skill needed to restore movement and function to the body with additional training in neurologic practice. To be certified in this role, an NCS demonstrates 2,000 hours of direct patient care related to neurology and completes an accredited neurology residency.

Levels of Care for Neurological Rehabilitation

Like other physical therapists, an NCS can work in a number of facilities. This may include inpatient, residential rehabilitation programs, hospital-based programs, home care, or practicing in independent offices. Where a patient seeks care will depend on the severity of their condition and their goals, and the NCS will adjust practices accordingly.

When working with a Neurological Clinical Specialist, you should expect the same level of care you would from any physical therapist, including a focus on your goals and helping you to reach them.

How Neurological Physical Therapy Improves Quality of Life

Early sessions may focus on simple tasks and reducing any severe pain to help the body adjust to the new routine, with the intensity picking up over time. New exercises and skills can be added along the way until the patient’s goal is reached. This may be a return to former levels of functioning or to a baseline that they can maintain in the future.

Individual sessions may each have different techniques used – you may come in one day for gait training and the next for cognitive therapy – but each method employed will work towards the ultimate goal of recovery. While the outcome varies by patient, it is clear that neurological rehabilitation is effective in improving the lives of patients with neurological problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Most Common Neurological Disorder?

Headaches are one of the most commonly cited neurological problems, through the root cause can vary for each patient. For adult-onset neurological disorders, the most common is stroke. This is followed by Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injuries.

Can Neurological Disorders be Reversed?

The answer to this varies greatly by what disorder is being treated. Acute injuries, like brain injuries or some strokes, may be able to be reversed in that all signs and effects are remediated through treatment. However, once nerve damage occurs, it can usually not be completely undone, though some effects can be mitigated.

Other conditions, like Alzheimer’s disease and ALS, have no cure. The goal of physical therapy in these cases is to slow down progression and offer tools to cope with the effects of these diseases.

What Is a Neurological Disability?

Neurological disability is another way to refer to a neurological disorder, which involves damage to the nervous system that results in some mental or bodily function loss. This can be caused by infections, heart attacks, genetic disorders, or a lack of oxygen. The severity of a neurological disability can vary from person to person.

What Does a Neuro Therapist Do?

A neurological physical therapist, commonly called a neuro-therapist, is a physical therapist who is trained in neurological conditions. They specialize in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with movement problems related to disease or injury of the nervous system. These therapists aim to help patients regain some to most of the functions they lost because of the injury, helping the patient to live independently or more independently again.

What Are the Primary Objectives of Neurological Rehabilitation?

There are five key objectives for physical therapy related to neurological conditions:

  • Provide therapy focused on the needs of each patient and their family.
  • Restore abilities to the maximum level of function possible, allowing for the highest level of independence and a return to the home or community.
  • Education of the patient, family, and/or caregiver on the specific type of injury or condition, along with explanations of the plan of care and therapy to treat the condition and meet the patient’s goals.
  • Provide ongoing psychosocial support for the patient in a therapeutic environment.
  • Support long-term goals by offering continuous therapies, both in and out of the office.

Why Would Someone Need Neurological Physical Therapy?

A person would most likely need neurological physical therapy after suffering an injury or developing an illness that affects the brain and spinal cord. Physical therapy is used to help people recover, regain strength and movement, and improve the ability to perform daily tasks as they recover or as their illness progresses. Neurological conditions may occur suddenly, like when an accident occurs, or be progressive and worsen over time, like with Parkinson’s disease.

What Does a Physical Therapy Neurological Test Assess?

There are a variety of tests that can be used to assess the coordination of body parts and motor control between the brain and muscles. These help to determine if the signals that are being sent to the brain are reaching the muscles quickly and efficiently, allowing them to function properly. Examples of these tests may be asking you to move objects with your eyes, touching your finger to your nose, or rapidly alternating movements.

How Does Physical Therapy Address Neurological Problems?

For people with neurological problems, physical therapy can increase the use of muscles that are weak and improve motor control, coordination, and balance. These skills can increase independence in daily tasks and movements for patients who otherwise struggle.

 

This service is available at select locations. Please contact your preferred clinic for more information.