Spasticity, like other brain disorders, is complicated. The Cleveland Clinic says the disorder tightens and uncontrollably contracts several muscles.
Post-stroke spasticity is prevalent but hard to quantify. A 2018 International Journal of Gerontology review found that 30–80 percent of stroke survivors have spasticity. “The actual numbers are controversial—it really depends on how the study is done,” Gerard E. Francisco, MD, a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston McGovern Medical School and the chief medical officer at TIRR Memorial Hermann, tells SELF.
Bradford B. Worrall, MD, a University of Virginia professor of neurology and public health, says many stroke survivors develop spasticity. Spasticity and stroke are complicated.
What Happens To The Brain During A Stroke?
Two factors may cause a stroke: lack of blood or oxygen to the brain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fat deposits or blood clots may obstruct brain blood arteries. Second, a blood vessel might break or leak, placing cerebral pressure. Emergency treatment is needed to save brain tissue because brain cells die quickly.
RELATED: Three Types of Games That Help Brain Recovery After Stroke
What Causes Spasticity After A Stroke?
Understanding the nervous system helps explain why strokes don’t always induce spasticity. Neurons in the brain and spinal cord carry brain signals. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, your brain must interact with your body to high-five a buddy or tie your shoes.
Disruptions in brain-muscle-nerve communication cause spasticity. Spasticity usually results from stroke damage to the brainstem or cerebral cortex, which controls movement. Your muscles may contract instead of relax. Spasticity may arise following other forms of brain injury, including neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy.
MRI, which provides three-dimensional brain scans, may predict spasticity after a stroke. Dr. Francisco adds neurologists may monitor spasticity symptoms if MRI indicates lesions in disorder-related brain regions. This allows speedy diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers are studying why some stroke survivors develop spasticity. Age may predict spasticity as younger stroke patients have a higher risk. Smoking may also raise a person’s risk of getting spasticity after a stroke.
RELATED: Life After Stroke: 5 Self-Care Tips
What Does Spasticity After A Stroke Feel Like?
Short answer? It’s tough to answer since spasticity manifests differently. It can vary. The Cleveland Clinic lists a few stroke-related spasticity symptoms:
- Your muscles tense spontaneously, causing muscular spasms. Clonus is fast contractions.
- During a spasm, your muscles may feel harder than normal. Over time, your joints may freeze up, causing severe discomfort and limiting your range of motion.
- Balance issues make walking difficult.
- Mild spasticity causes tight muscles, but severe instances cause several symptoms.
Dr. Worrall notes that spasticity becomes worse the more you resist it. “So if you have spasticity in your elbow and you take a very delicate, patient approach, you may be able to bend your elbow, but the quicker and harder you push, the reflexive contraction that prevents the movement.” Dr. Worral says that if your elbow has spasticity, it may be better to carefully put a spoon in your mouth than to hastily eat candies.
Dr. Francisco warns that spasticity may go undiagnosed in patients whose native language differs from their clinician’s.
RELATED: 18 Exercises for Rebuilding Strength After a Stroke
Can Spasticity Be Treated?
Spasticity cannot be cured, although physical and occupational therapy and drugs may lessen symptoms. Joel Stein, MD, a professor of rehabilitation and regenerative medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, says your doctor may offer physical therapy to increase muscle mobility and lessen spasticity discomfort after a stroke. Individualized treatment strategies may include exercises, walkers, and work modifications. Occupational therapy, which helps with daily tasks, is also advised.
The Cleveland Clinic says spasticity treatments may involve botulinum toxin injections to relax muscles. When treating two spastic locations, the injections last three months and are more successful. Stroke is life-changing, and spasticity may make rehabilitation harder. Dr. Francisco says the appropriate therapy may greatly improve your quality of life. We know that stroke survivors may recover for decades. It’s fixable. He claims there are many possibilities today.
