Neurological Rehabilitation in the Greater Phoenix Area
Serving Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, and Fountain Hills
What is Neurological Rehabilitation?
Although many assume that physical therapy is limited to issues relating to muscles, tissues, and bones, neurological rehabilitation is a different form of therapy that helps those with issues affecting their neurological and nervous systems. Similar to traditional physical therapy, neurological rehabilitation focuses on helping the patient reduce the effects of debilitating symptoms, increase bodily function, and improve their quality of life.
Many treatments sit under the umbrella of neurological surgery. A therapist chooses which treatments to use based on the patient’s condition and symptoms.
Patients may be referred to a therapist if they show any of these symptoms:
Memory or problem-solving issues
Vision impairments
Issues with hand-eye coordination
Problems with dressing, eating, bathing, and other everyday activities
Speaking difficulties
Issues with swallowing
Pain
Muscle weakness
Difficulty balancing when walking
Several types of specialists may be involved in a patient’s neurological rehabilitation. Again, the specific specialists who work with the patient will depend on their condition and their symptoms.
Physical therapists help patients with conditions that affect balance, strength, movement, or coordination. They create plans to restore or maintain the patient’s ability to perform physical activities. Occupational therapists often work alongside physical therapists in these cases. Their job is to ensure the patient can complete everyday tasks without needing assistance. While the physical therapist focuses on restoring strength, the occupational therapist ensures the patient can eat, bathe, and dress themselves.
A neuropsychologist may be required if the patient requires cognitive therapy or other techniques that confront behavioral and cognitive issues. Similarly, speech-language pathologists work with patients who have problems thinking and speaking that result from a medical condition. A patient may require both if they’ve had a stroke or experienced a brain injury.
Ultimately, neurological rehabilitation aims to get the patient’s mind and body working in tandem again. It requires comprehensive planning to confront both the primary issue and any secondary issues resulting from the primary concern.
Who Can Benefit from Neurological Rehabilitation?
Neurological rehabilitation benefits those who need help from several therapeutic disciplines, including people who have experienced strokes, brain trauma, and similar injuries. It also includes those who have neurological conditions that limit both mental and physical function.
Improving the patient’s quality of life is the main focus of this type of therapy. Neurological conditions often present more complex symptoms than sprains, breaks, and similar injuries. They can affect the patient’s coordination, speaking, and ability to live independently. Furthermore, the causes of these symptoms are often complicated, requiring the help of professionals to ensure the patient follows an appropriate rehabilitation plan.
Neurological rehabilitation also benefits those who need a more patient-centric approach. Every neurological condition is different. Even two patients who have the same condition may present symptoms differently. Since neurological care is so personal, it allows these patients to confront their specific challenges rather than overcome them following a catch-all plan.
Commonly Seen Neurological Conditions
Balance and Fall Prevention
Falls are an incredibly common and potentially dangerous issue with aging individuals. They affect more than a third of all adults over the age of 65 annually and have many underlying causes. Fall incidence and confidence in fall prevention can be significantly improved with proper treatment by a Doctor of Physical Therapy, no matter the underlying cause.
Parkinson’s Disease
Also referred to as PD, this condition is actually caused by insufficient production and presence of a certain chemical in the brain. The distinguishing qualities include tremors, difficulty initiating movement, balance deficits, rigidity, and speech changes. Exercise and appropriate movement guided by a physical therapist has been shown to be effective in symptom alleviation, safety, and slowing disease progression.
Stroke/CVA
Strokes occur when there is a blockage of blood flow to specific areas of the brain that are responsible for different bodily functions. Symptoms following this injury can vary greatly in type and severity depending on the location of the blockage. Working with a physical therapist, particularly early after the incident, can greatly expedite and increase the trajectory of recovery to return to as high a level of function as possible.
Multiple Sclerosis
MS is a progressive disease in which an individual’s nerves are “attacked” by the immune system, causing decreased ability to carry electrical impulses. This causes a variety of symptoms and movement disorders including sensory deficits, gradual weakness, rigidity, and loss of coordination. Working with a physical therapist can help to address these deficits and improve upon them while simultaneously learning compensatory strategies for independence and safety.
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