Stroke Rehabilitation

What to Expect After a Stroke

Initial disabilities

Your disabilities and your ability to get better after a stroke depend on:

  • Which side of the brain was affected (whether it is your dominant side).
  • Which part of the brain was damaged by the stroke.
  • How much of the brain was damaged.
  • Your general health before the stroke.

Impairments after a stroke may include problems with muscles and movement. These include:

  • Weakness on one side of the body. This may cause you to have trouble walking, grasping objects, or doing other tasks. The side of the body that is affected is opposite from the side of the brain that was damaged by the stroke.
  • Joint pain and rigidity. A person with a very weak arm may have shoulder pain caused by a tight or locked-up joint. Movement of the joint is essential to keep it from "freezing" and to make sure that you can move it easily when your strength returns.
  • Muscle stiffness or spasms (spasticity). You may need certain medicines or injections of substances that block nerve reactions. For more information, see treatment for stroke-related spasticity.
  • Problems with your sense of touch or your ability to feel hot and cold. You may also have problems judging the position of parts of your body.
  • Pain, numbness, or tingling in your limbs.
  • Trouble with walking and coordinating body movements.
  • Problems swallowing and eating (dysphagia). For more information, see dysphagia. See also:
    Click here to view an Actionset. Managing eating problems after a stroke.
  • Urinary or bowel problems. You may have trouble holding your urine (urinary incontinence) or