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In a published by American Heart Association News¡ªand featured in news outlets nationally ¡ª Richard Harvey, MD, David W. Trott clinical chair of the Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 Brain Innovation Center, shared insights about the prevalence and treatment of post-stroke pain.
"The majority of patients don't have pain, but a good proportion do," said Dr. Harvey in the article. However, he noted that many types of pain are temporary if properly managed as part of stroke rehabilitation.
"Some types of pain are due to the mechanical changes that happen in the body after a stroke, and some are due to nerve irritability from the stroke itself," he added.
The American Heart Association News article explains different types of post-stroke pain, such as headache, chronic joint pain and burning sensations in the face. In addition, Dr. Harvey said some people may experience shoulder pain following a stroke, due to weak muscles from stroke paralysis that can lead to injury and inflammation, as well as pain in the joints and tendons from spasticity ¡ª involuntary muscle reflexes and contractions.
Medications, physical therapy, steroid injections to reduce inflammation, and electrical stimulation are among the treatments for stroke that also address pain.
Fortunately for patients, today there is less chance for long-term post-stroke pain and inflammation, which can result from reduced mobility. That¡¯s because, according to Dr. Harvey in the article, ¡°modern stroke care centers now mobilize people early after stroke.¡±
For example, Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91¡¯s pioneering approach to stroke recovery focuses on early, high-intensity therapy ¡ª regardless of the type or severity of the stroke ¡ª to help patients achieve better outcomes.
