Hemiplegia: Causes, Signs and Symptoms, and Treatment

Hemiplegia is a condition that causes weakness or paralysis on one side of the body, usually following an illness or stroke. It’s also known as hemiparesis, paraplegia, or quadriplegia depending on the location and severity of the weakness or paralysis. Hemiplegia isn’t fatal if treated properly, but it can be life-altering to those who suffer from it since it affects mobility, balance and speech ability.

What is hemiplegia?

Hemiplegia is a movement disorder that makes it difficult for a person to move one side of his or her body. Hemiplegia may be temporary (transient) or permanent. 

Transient hemiplegia can result from traumatic brain injuries, strokes and other cerebrovascular accidents. It usually resolves on its own but in some cases, it may be a symptom of a condition such as multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS, attacks occur when nerves in one side of your brain become inflamed or damaged by your immune system.

What are the signs and symptoms of hemiplegia?

Hemiplegia is a condition that causes weakness or paralysis on one side of your body. Hemiplegic symptoms are often different depending on which hemisphere (half) of your brain is affected.

 For example, if you have a stroke that affects one half of your brain, you may experience hemiplegic symptoms in both arms or both legs. Some people with hemiplegic symptoms might only feel pain or numbness in their affected limbs. But it's possible to develop seizures as a result of hemiplegic symptoms.

what are the causes of  hemiplegia?

One possible cause of hemiplegia is a stroke. During a stroke, which occurs when an artery in your brain becomes blocked and cuts off oxygen to your brain cells, part of your brain can die. This can lead to weakness or paralysis in one side of your body. 

Other causes include head injuries, infections that spread to your spinal cord or nerve damage. But doctors aren’t sure why you develop hemiplegia in some cases; it may have something to do with genetic predispositions or previous medical issues that haven’t been diagnosed yet. And if you have preexisting medical problems like diabetes or high blood pressure, those conditions could make it more likely for you to develop hemiplegia.

What are the treatments for hemiplegic stroke?

Treatments depend on whether you have a hemiplegic or hemisyndrome stroke. Hemiplegic stroke is a rarer form of stroke. It involves damage to only one side of your brain. This can result in weakness or paralysis on one side of your body. A stroke with these symptoms is sometimes called hemi stroke, which is short for hemiplegic. 

A hemisyndrome stroke affects both sides of your brain but doesn't cause loss of movement or speech on one side; it only causes issues like weakness or visual problems in those areas. If you’re diagnosed with a hemisyndrome stroke, treatments are similar to those used for other types of strokes. 

If you’re diagnosed with hemiplegic stroke, treatment depends on how severe your symptoms are and what caused them. 

In most cases, doctors will focus on treating any underlying conditions that may be causing your signs and symptoms. They may also prescribe medications to help treat any complications that occur as a result of having had a stroke. But there are some things you can do at home too, such as physical therapy .

Preventive measures

The first step in treating hemiplegia is to try to prevent it from occurring. Although there are a variety of causes for hemiplegia, most cases can be prevented with certain lifestyle changes. Hemorrhages and thromboses can be avoided by proper management of blood pressure through diet and exercise.

 Additionally, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, getting enough exercise , eating fruit rich in vitamin C ,getting enough sleep at night may help to prevent or decrease episodes of hemiplegia.