Hemiparesis: types, symptoms, causes and treatment.

A neurological disorder that leaves the mobility of a part of the body disabled.

The central nervous system is a biological structure that is responsible for perceiving stimuli from the outside world, processing this information and transmitting the impulses to nerves and muscles, allowing the person to perform all kinds of movements.

But when something interferes with the proper functioning of this system, carrying out any body movement can become really complicated. One of these special conditions in which the person's ability to move is limited is hemiparesis, in which the subject's ability to move is reduced.In hemiparesis, the subject's body mobility is reduced in only one half of his body.

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What is hemiparesis?

Hemiparesis is not defined as a disease, but, rather, as a neurological condition of variable causes that hinders the movement of one half of the body. a neurological condition of variable causes that hinders the movement of one half of the body.. Specifically, hemiparesis refers to decreased motor strength or partial paralysis affecting one arm and one leg on the same side of the body.

This decrease in movement does not constitute paralysis, and is considered a lesser degree than hemiplegia, which does produce total paralysis. When this decrease in movement affects the head and face, it may not be very evident.

Types of hemiparesis

Hemiparesis can be grouped into different types according to the causes of onset, so that there are different types according to the degree of muscle weakness and its causes.

1. Right-sided hemiparesis

This hemiparesis is caused by a lesion in the left hemisphere of the brain, so the person will have reduced muscular mobility of the right side of the body.

2. Left-sided hemiparesis

When the brain lesion occurs in the right hemisphere, it is the left side of the body that is affected by this decrease in muscular mobility.

3. Infantile hemiparesis

Infantile hemiparesis is hemiparesis that affects infants or young children, and is usually caused by spinal cord problems or brain damage from birth.

Causes

As mentioned in the previous point, the causes of hemiparesis are varied. The particular muscle weakness may be caused by spinal cord injury affecting the nerves that supply the muscles and causing muscle weakness.

This spinal cord damage includes injuries caused by trauma, such as from a car accident. Similarly, diseases such as multiple sclerosis and some types of Cancer can also cause spinal cord injuries that interfere with nerve activity.

Brain damage can also lead to a decline in muscle strength, with stroke being one of the most common reasons why a person may suffer from hemiparesis. In addition, this muscle weakness is one of the main signs that a person is going to suffer a stroke.

Diagnosis

When a patient comes to the health center with hemiparesis, the first step is to determine the source of the muscle weakness.. To accurately detect the location of the lesion, medical imaging studies are necessary, as well as an interview with the patient to collect information and take a medical history in order to identify the most obvious risk factors.

Treatment

To slow down the effects of hemiparesis and reduce the consequences it has on the body, it is essential to resolve and/or treat the affected part that caused it. In this way, as a rebound effect, it should improve and even resolve.

Another very common intervention and with remarkable positive results is the physical treatment by means of physiotherapy exercisesin which it is forced to work and move directly the areas that have been affected by this decrease in mobility.

With this treatment, the patient restores the control he/she has over his/her muscles, strengthens his/her muscle mass and motor skills. The person affected by hemiparesis can also use the help of devices, such as walkers or orthopedic devices, which help to complement the treatment and support the execution of daily activities and to move the affected area with greater and better development of the activity.

There is no minimum time limit for partial or total recovery from hemiparesis, since recovery depends on the intensity of the treatment carried out, the degree of muscular weakening or the causes that have provoked the affectation.

Usually, hemiparesis can be solved in its entirety, leaving, at most, minor sequelae that can be perfectly harmonized with the patient's normal rhythm of life.

The Bobath Concept

One of the possible treatments for hemiparesis is the Bobath Concept through physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

The Bobath Concept refers to a therapeutic approach focused on problem solving in the evaluation and treatment of patients with disorders or problems of function, postural control and movement, due to lesions of the central nervous system, including hemiparesis.

This is a therapy based on the brain's ability to reorganize itself from peripheral sensory stimuli, looking for intact brain areas to compensate the functions that were performed by the injured parts of the brain.

The main attraction of the Bobath Concept is to favor the functioning of the affected side of the body as much as necessary, and thus adapt its movements in a consonant manner with the less affected side of the body; seeking to balance the body in terms of functionality and mobility.

Another characteristic essence of this method is the modification of abnormal movement patterns resulting from the injury itself, facilitating activity in a functional way and following the neurophysiological neurodevelopmental milestones of the person.

Another point in favor of the Bobath Concept is that it does not demand strict treatment regimens that must be followed rigorously, but rather that it provides the person with elements that can be applied according to individual needs and responses.thus involving the patient in his or her own recovery.