Must-read treatment principles for post-stroke patients

  An effective method to improve the symptoms of cerebral infarction sequelae and reduce the high recurrence rate should be to prevent the re-formation of atherosclerotic thrombus through reliable drug therapy, while scientific diet and active and passive recovery exercises should be used to effectively treat the underlying lesions such as atherosclerotic plaque formation and high blood viscosity, which are the causative factors of cerebral infarction; improve the blood and oxygen supply to brain tissues, create a good internal environment for brain tissues, and restore the brain nervous system, so that the motor and language neurological signs controlled by it can be improved. It can fundamentally improve the symptoms of cerebral infarction such as unfavorable language and limb disorder, and effectively prevent the progress of recurrence of the disease.  I. Chinese medicine treatment (1) Blood circulation and stasis treatment: It is a widely used Chinese medicine method in clinical practice. It has the effect of anti-atherosclerosis formation and thrombosis, which can increase cerebral blood flow, facilitate the absorption of hematoma edema around the infarct lesion and improve clinical symptoms. It is not suitable for the acute treatment.  (2) Aromatic enlightenment treatment: It is known for opening, which can unblock the meridians, regulate qi and activate blood, and has obvious effect in clinical treatment of headache and limb pain caused by cerebral infarction. Aroma-opening herbs can reach the lesion directly through the blood-brain barrier, with rapid onset of action and precise efficacy.  (3) Dual treatment of activating blood circulation and resolving blood stasis and aromatic enlightenment: the Chinese medicines applied in this method can work on the overall cause of cerebral infarction, blood lesions and vascular lesions at the same time, using the combination and synergistic effect of hundreds of active ingredients of animal, plant and aromatic medicines in the formula to achieve multi-target therapeutic effects such as increasing effectiveness and reducing toxicity and resistance to drugs. It has the effects of inhibiting platelet aggregation, highly effective anticoagulation, reducing plasma viscosity and plasma lipid peroxidation, making the lipid substances in the blood less likely to accumulate in the arteries to form thrombi; and accelerating the removal of blood oxygen free radicals, effectively removing the lipid substances on the arterial walls, preventing the formation of atherosclerosis and creating a good internal environment for brain tissue; at the same time, it can increase arterial blood flow and improve At the same time, it can increase arterial blood flow, improve the hypoxia resistance of brain tissues, protect endothelial cells of blood vessel walls, make them less susceptible to damage and prevent thrombosis; restore the brain nervous system, so that its control of motor, language and other neurological signs can be improved, and achieve the purpose of treatment for cerebral infarction.  Second, Western medicine treatment Western medicine treatment for cerebral infarction has a single target, and most Western medicines, including aspirin, have different degrees of drug resistance, while the majority of Western medicines have obvious side effects and cause different degrees of damage to the gastrointestinal, liver and kidney. Therefore, in the acute attack period of cerebral infarction, western drugs are mostly used for treatment, but they are not suitable for long-term use in the recovery period and secondary prevention period.  (1) Anti-platelet aggregation class: The advantage is that it can inhibit platelet aggregation, thus playing the role of preventing blood clotting and thus preventing cerebral infarction. The results of the U.S. trial show that aspirin reduces the incidence of first-time cerebral infarction by 24%, and is one of the most basic drugs used in the prevention and treatment of cerebral infarction; the disadvantage is that 47% of aspirin users will develop resistance to the drug, and long-term use will produce brain and stomach bleeding danger. Representative products: aspirin, clopidogrel (2) calcium antagonists: the advantage is that the composition is pure, the efficacy is better, and the effect is faster; the disadvantage is that the acute application may cause “blood theft”, which may lead to the aggravation of symptoms. Long-term application has certain side effects on middle-aged and elderly patients who need long-term medication to prevent recurrence of cerebral infarction.  Rehabilitation treatment The purpose of recovery treatment is to improve symptoms such as dizziness and headache, numbness of limbs and unfavorable language, so that they can reach the best state; and to reduce the high recurrence rate of cerebral infarction.  At present, it is believed that patients with limb movement disorders caused by cerebral infarction can significantly reduce or mitigate the sequelae of paralysis after regular rehabilitation training. Some people regard rehabilitation as particularly simple, and even equate it with “exercise”, and rush for success, often getting half the result with twice the effort, and leading to joint muscle injury, fracture, shoulder and hip pain, increased spasticity, and Abnormal spasticity patterns and abnormal gait, as well as foot drop, inversion and other problems, namely “misuse syndrome”.  Improper plyometric training can exacerbate spasticity, and proper rehabilitation can alleviate this spasticity and lead to coordination of limb movements. Once the wrong training method is used, such as repeatedly practicing forceful grip with the affected hand, it will strengthen the flexor muscle synergy of the affected upper limb, which will aggravate the spasm of the muscles responsible for joint flexion and cause flexion of the elbow, flexion of the wrist, rotation of the front, and flexion of the fingers, making it more difficult to restore hand function. In fact, limb movement disorders are not only a matter of muscle weakness, but the uncoordinated muscle contraction is also an important cause of motor dysfunction. Therefore, it should not be mistaken that rehabilitation training is strength training.  In the rehabilitation treatment of motor dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction sequelae, traditional concepts and methods only focus on restoring patients’ muscle strength, neglecting the rehabilitation treatment of coordination between patients’ joint mobility, muscle tone and antagonism, and even if patients’ muscle strength is restored to normal, abnormal movement patterns may remain, thus hindering the improvement of their daily life and activities.  Experimental and clinical studies have shown that, due to the plasticity of the central nervous system, there is a possibility of functional reconstruction during the recovery process after brain injury.  Currently, it is generally recommended nationally and internationally to use a home-based limb movement rehabilitation device to restore the movement of damaged limbs in daily home care rehabilitation treatment. In addition to the direct exercise of muscle strength, the passive antagonistic effect of the simulated movement coordinates and governs the functional state of the limb and restores its dynamic balance; at the same time, the repeated movement can provide feedback to the brain to promote the information, so that it can maximize the functional reconstruction as soon as possible, break the spasticity pattern It is easy to operate, especially for home use, and restores voluntary motor control. This therapy can make the paralyzed limb simulate normal movement, enhance the patient’s self-confidence in rehabilitation, and restore the patient’s muscle tone and limb movement.  IV. Principles: 1. Scientific and accurate medication to prevent recurrence of cerebral infarction Cerebral infarction is a chronic cerebrovascular accident with high recurrence and irreversibility, and patients still need to take regular medication according to doctors’ orders after discharge, control the underlying lesions of arteriosclerosis such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia and diabetes, and regularly go to the hospital for review. The effective drugs commonly used for the treatment of cerebral infarction include anti-platelet aggregation drugs, such as bai aspirin; brain-protective nutritional drugs, beneficial qi, blood-opening and pain-relieving drugs.  2.Start rehabilitation treatment as early and actively as possible As mentioned before, cerebral infarction will leave many sequelae after formation, such as monoplegia, hemiplegia, aphasia, etc. The effect of drugs on these sequelae is very limited, while through active and regular rehabilitation treatment, most patients can achieve self-care of life and some can return to work. Those who are able to do so should go to a regular rehabilitation hospital for systematic rehabilitation. If you cannot go to a rehabilitation hospital for various reasons, you can buy some books and videos on the subject and do it yourself at home. Early rehabilitation is advisable. The best time for rehabilitation is within 3 to 6 months after the disease. After half a year, as muscle atrophy and joint contracture have occurred, rehabilitation is more difficult, but it will also be helpful.  In addition to early and regular training of the affected limb, attention should be paid to developing the potential of the healthy limb. Patients who have right-sided hemiplegia and are used to using their right hand (right-handedness) should train their left hand to do things. Clothes should be loose and soft, and special styles can be sewn according to special needs, such as putting a latch on the sleeve of the affected limb to measure blood pressure when going to the doctor. When dressing, wear the paralyzed side first, then wear the healthy side; when undressing, take off the healthy side first, then take off the affected side.  4.Face the reality and adjust your emotion As the saying goes, “Sickness comes like a mountain, and sickness goes like a silk”. This saying is more apt for cerebrovascular patients. Facing the fait accompli, you should adjust your emotions and actively rehabilitate to return to society as soon as possible. Patients with severe mood disorders can ask their doctors for help and use antidepressants, such as Prozac, which have good effects on depression and anxiety after cerebrovascular disease.  5, the sequelae of functional recovery care (1) language adverse language disorder patients are more agitated and painful. Health care personnel should contact patients more often, understand patients’ pain, keep patients in a relaxed mood and eliminate tension. Patients must be induced and encouraged to speak as early as possible, patiently correct pronunciation, from simple to complex, such as “e”, “ah”, “song”, etc., repeatedly practice persistently. In addition, acupuncture points such as dumb door, Tongli and Lianquan are used to promote the improvement and recovery of speech function.  (2) In the acute stage of limb dysfunction, attention should be paid to the placement of the paralyzed limb in a functional position to prevent contracture deformity of the limb, mostly in supine and lateral positions. When the patient’s condition is stable, the patient should be guided and assisted to perform functional exercises with the help of home type limb rehabilitation instrument, starting from simple flexion and extension, requiring adequate and reasonable activities to avoid damaging muscles and joints, 2 to 4 times a day for 5 to 30 minutes each time. It is also combined with medication, massage of the affected limb, acupuncture of Quchi, Hegu, and Foot San Li. The patient is instructed to soak the affected limb with hot water frequently to promote its blood circulation.  (3) Crooked corners of the mouth Clinically, it is common to see incomplete eyelid closure on the side of the disease, drooping corners of the mouth, inability to wrinkle the forehead, close the eyes, puff out the cheeks, and whistle. Patients often develop negative emotions and lose confidence in treatment. The nurse should be sympathetic to the patient and give mental encouragement in order to gain trust and relieve their emotions. Diet should be easily digestible and nutritious liquid or semi-liquid diet. Combine with acupuncture of the cheek carriage, the ground compartment, Yingxiang and Sibai. Encourage the patient to do more eye, mouth and face exercises, and massage the area frequently.  V. Recovery of sensory dysfunction Whether the body motor function of cerebral infarction patients can be restored and whether various treatment methods can receive satisfactory results depends largely on whether the sensory function can be normalized. Sensory impairment hinders the normal performance of motor function, especially the impairment of tactile sense and motor position sense. Due to the lack of normal sensory feedback, it is difficult for patients to regulate and control their movements normally, resulting in the loss of coordinated movements of the hands. Therefore, in the training process, sensory training and motor training cannot be separated, and the concept of integration of sensory-motor training must be established.  The restoration of hand function in patients with cerebral infarction sequelae can be carried out by training finger grasping and fine motor activities. There are many activities to train finger grasping ability clinically, and almost all movements in daily life are related to hand manipulation.  Choosing various sizes of wooden pegs or pencils, etc., holding them in your hands and turning them up and down or back and forth is conducive to improving hand dexterity. In addition, the children’s sets of toys sold in the market, all contain the hand pinching, inserting, pulling, twisting, turning and other aspects of the function, has a certain therapeutic significance. Activities such as chess, poker and mahjong are both entertaining and a good opportunity to train the fingers to grasp objects of different sizes and shapes, such as thick, thin, large, small, square and round. If necessary, the shape of the pieces can be adjusted according to the patient’s grip level by fixing some small hooks or pouches on the pieces.