Right-Sided Stroke (Left Hemiplegia): Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment - Paper Example

Introduction

Right-sided stroke (left hemiplegia) refers to the paralysis of limbs that are on the left side of the body caused by the damage of the central nervous system. The most significant cause of hemiplegia is an incomplete spinal cord injury. The injuries can be due to brain trauma, infections, tumors, or stroke (Vocat et al., 2010). Hemiplegia is paralysis of one half of the body due to brain injury in one hemisphere hence leading to loss of sensation and movement on the opposite side. Hemiplegia treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach whereby various professional is involved in offering different treatment modalities. This paper seeks to discuss a case of hemiplegia.

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Right-sided stroke or injury leads to left-side hemiplegia (loss of movement and sensation on the left side) since opposite sides of the brain control the body halves. Stroke is one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity globally. In every five strokes, four of them occur in low and middle-income countries (El Tallawy et al., 2015). Hemiplegia is caused by stroke or infections that damage the corticospinal tracts in one side of the brain. These tracts run from the cerebral cortex in the brain to the lower spinal cord hence the injury in one side leads to loss of sensation and movement on the opposite side (Longmore et al., 2014).

Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation

The interdisciplinary rehabilitation modalities for the treatment of hemiplegia include; physical therapists, mental healthcare workers, and rehabilitation therapists. The treatment modalities offered include; physiotherapy, electrical stimulation, mental imagery, assistive devices, and modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT). Alterations in these treatment modalities can lead to complications such as; permanent sensory defects, bowel control problems, muscle fatigue, lethargy, and pain (Longmore et al., 2014). The overall prognosis of this patient (Mr Russell) is excellent. Mr Russell has good overall prognosis since he has good muscle strength on the non-affected side and good cognitive functions and has stable vitals. The patient can grasp things on both sides, and his neurological checks are stable, all of which points to a good prognosis.

As shown in the paper, hemiplegia is paralysis of one half of the body due to brain injury in one hemisphere requiring multidisciplinary treatment modalities. The severity of the hemiplegia determines the prognosis of the patient, therefore, Mr Russell has good overall prognosis since he has mild hemiplegia and has good strength and cognitive functions.

References

El Tallawy, H. N., Farghaly, W. M., Badry, R., Hamdy, N. A., Shehata, G. A., Rageh, T. A., ... & Soliman, W. T. (2015). Epidemiology and Clinical Presentation of Stroke in Upper Egypt (desert area). Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 11, 2177. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4552260/

Longmore, M., Wilkinson, I., Baldwin, A., & Wallin, E. (2014). Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine-Mini Edition. OUP Oxford.

Vocat, R., Staub, F., Stroppini, T., & Vuilleumier, P. (2010). Anosognosia for Hemiplegia: A Clinical-Anatomical Prospective Study. Brain, 133(12), 3578-3597. Retrieved from: https://academic.oup.com/brain//133/12/3578/309246