Should you massage a stroke patient?

Massage therapy can play an important role in the patient's recovery process, helping to improve nerve function and joint mobility while relieving stress associated with the trauma of a CVA.

What type of massage should be avoided post stroke?

If the individual has blood clots, there is a small chance they could be dislodged by massage. Individuals on blood thinner medication bruise more easily, so deep tissue massage should be avoided.

How do you massage a stroke person?

Massage Therapy for Stroke Symptoms

This can be done through palpation, rolling, kneading, rubbing or pressing in combination with other techniques such as: gentle stroking along the length of the muscle, kneading and lifting the tissue or. using circular motions of the thumb or fingertips to apply deep pressure.

Is deep tissue massage good for stroke patients?

Massage is excellent for reducing hyper tone in the muscles which can cause rigidity and pain in some stroke patients. It can reduce excessive tension and spasms in these muscles whilst promoting deep relaxation.

What should stroke patients not do?

“They should not go to sleep, and they should not call their primary care doctor first. Instead, they should just go immediately to the emergency room.” And no matter how much someone might try to talk you out of taking them to the hospital, don't let them, says Dr. Humbert.

Massage Therapy After a Stroke

What helps stroke patients recover faster?

What can make a stroke worse?

When is massage not recommended?

Contagious skin conditions (boils, warts, or herpes) Other skin conditions (burns, rashes, or sores) Circulatory system issues (high blood pressure, varicose veins, or stroke) Digestive system issues (ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, or colitis)

When should you not use massage therapy?

Who should avoid deep tissue massage?

You should also hold off on deep tissue massages if you're pregnant. Gentler types of massage, such as Swedish massage, may be a better option. If you have an open wound or skin infection of any kind, you'll need to reschedule to avoid developing a new infection or making an existing one worse.

Is massage good for paralysis patients?

Therapeutic massage may be especially helpful for people with spinal cord or brain injury and other types of paralysis for the following reasons: It helps return blood to the heart, partially compensating for lack of movement, decreased activity, and decreased muscle contractions that would normally do this task.

What heals the brain after a stroke?

The initial recovery following stroke is most likely due to decreased swelling of brain tissue, removal of toxins from the brain, and improvement in the circulation of blood in the brain. Cells damaged, but not beyond repair, will begin to heal and function more normally.

Can a massage trigger a stroke?

Deep muscle massages have been known to loosen arterial plaque. In other cases, massages have torn the wall of the carotid arteries, called dissection of an artery, leading to blood clots that, if dislodged, could travel to the brain, causing a blockage and stroke.

Why can't you get a massage after a stroke?

Some patients have sensory problems. For instance if a stroke patient lacks feeling in their affected limb, they would not be able to determine the amount of force being applied. Others are hypersensitive to touch and may not like to be touched or massaged at all.

What is the condition when massage should not be performed at all?

Massage should not be done in any area of the body with blood clots, fractures, open or healing wounds, skin infections, weakened bones (such as from osteoporosis or cancer) or where there has been a recent surgery.

Is it OK to have a massage while on blood thinners?

If you take anticoagulant medication (blood thinners, such as warfarin or apixaban), you may find you bruise much more easily, so deep tissue massage won't be suitable.

What is the 1st rule of massage therapy?

First do no harm – to yourself!

Can massages cause blood clots?

The authors opine: “Not only can [massage] dislodge an already established blood clot, but, as in this case, it can also predispose an individual to venous thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolism. …

Can massaging make it worse?

Massage is like exercise: It forces blood into your muscles, bringing nutrients and removing toxins. This process can temporarily increase inflammation (the healing response) to areas that the body feels need attention. This inflammation can bring discomfort.

Can a massage damage you?

Occasionally it causes new physical injuries, usually just minor bruises and nerve lesions, but sometimes worse: there's a small but serious risk of spinal injury or stroke with any neck manipulation, and blood clots can be dangerously dislodged causing pulmonary embolism (a “stroke” in the lung).

Why can't you take a shower after a massage?

By taking a shower immediately after your massage therapy session, you will wash off the massage oils. These massage oils are not yet completely absorbed by the skin cells.

What are good signs after a stroke?

What is the average lifespan after a stroke?

How Does a Stroke Impact Life Expectancy? Despite the likelihood of making a full recovery, life expectancy after stroke incidents can decrease. Unfortunately, researchers have observed a wide range of life expectancy changes in stroke patients, but the average reduction in lifespan is nine and a half years.

What are signs that a stroke is getting worse?