The Stroke Recovery Book by Kip Burkman

Author:Kip Burkman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Addicus Books
Published: 2012-02-07T00:00:00+00:00

Neurological Recovery

Neurological recovery is a medical term used to describe the healing of brain tissue. The brain forms an extremely complex web of nerve tissue that controls the body through electrical impulses, much the way a fuse box in a house controls electricity leading to various circuits, lights, and outlets. Assume for a moment that lightning strikes the house. It may be difficult to determine which circuits were affected. It may be even harder to determine if appliances were damaged. The brain is millions of times more complex than house wiring. Therefore, it is difficult to say with precision how much neurological damage might have resulted from a stroke.

Neurological recovery will also depend on the extent of unmasking that occurs. Unmasking is the process in which undamaged brain tissue assumes some of the functions of the damaged brain tissue. When living nerves are “unmasked,” or opened up, they help with recovery. Nerves may also heal by what’s called sprouting. When a nerve connection is lost, nerve cells may send out new “sprouts” in search of connections. If connections are made, improved functioning may occur. However, sprouts may not be able to reestablish old connections if large parts of the brain are damaged or if sprouts become trapped in scar tissue.

Brain functions may also improve once swelling from a stroke diminishes. Just as a finger swells with inflammatory fluid after it is crushed, the brain swells inside the skull when it is damaged by a stroke. Nerves do not function well under this type of pressure. Swelling and pressure inside the head usually subside within days or weeks, restoring some nerve functions. If the swelling doesn’t subside, a patient may not survive.

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