After suffering from a certain illness or a severe injury, resuming normal life may be challenging. This is because such health conditions mostly affect a person’s life by negatively interfering with the standard body functionality. 

However, rehabilitation can help you with such challenges. Initially, it was developed with the aim of helping patients who have suffered chronic medical issues that impaired certain body parts. This has generally made it easier for these patients to return to their usual life and even engage in different activities. 

 

Definition of Rehabilitation 

A surgical procedure or using prescribed medications is not often the final treatment procedure for most patients. Some usually require further rehabilitation treatment to recover well from the injury or disease and resume their normal lives. 

Rehabilitation is thus the act of helping patients get back, maintain, or enhance their essential abilities. These abilities can include mental, physical and cognitive. In the event of an accident, medical condition, or treatment procedure, these abilities may be lost or altered. Hence, rehabilitation is determined to help patients regain them. 

However, you should note that rehabilitation therapy doesn’t undo or reverse the damages caused by injuries, trauma, or disease. Instead, it aims at helping the victims to restore and improve their day-to-day life and functions. 

 

Types of Rehabilitation 

There are several types of rehabilitation treatment designed to help children and adults in various ways. Each type of rehabilitation therapy serves a special purpose in ensuring that every patient recovers fully. Besides, the ultimate objective is to help patients resume their normal, healthy lifestyle. 

Overall, the main types of rehabilitation therapies include; 

 

Inpatient rehabilitation

Inpatient rehabilitation is a treatment given to patients in the healthcare setting before discharge. It’s specially designed for patients who have suffered stroke or brain damage, spinal cord injury, undergone amputation and transplant. Inpatient therapy aims at helping them recover well and enable them to go home safely. 

 

Outpatient rehabilitation

Outpatient rehabilitation therapy is a treatment administered to patients who are not admitted to the medical facility. The medical providers who specialize in outpatient therapy include physical therapists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists. They provide therapy services to help with various medical conditions, including;  

• Speech disorders
• Cancer
• Neck and back pain
• Neurological conditions
• Psychological issues
• Pre- and postnatal problems 

 

Occupational rehabilitation

Occupational rehabilitation therapy aims at restoring the patient’s ability to perform the essential day to day activities. These activities include cooking, cleaning, washing, bathing, dressing, and other necessary tasks. 

Occupational therapy is suitable for patients dealing with conditions such as; 

• Stroke 
• Hand or wrist fractures
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Traumatic brain injury
• Autism and other development issues

Occupational therapy can apply in a situation where the patient sustained an injury that affected the fingers. In this case, occupational therapists work with them to find a better way to use their fingers to perform everyday activities. Occupational therapy can also combine the restoration of the defects and developing workarounds to enable patients to continue working normally. 

 

Physical therapy

Physical rehabilitation therapy is concerned with mobility dysfunction that results from neurological or musculoskeletal disorders. Neurological conditions affect the nervous system and can result in paralysis. It includes stroke, multiple sclerosis, chronic headaches, Alzheimer’s, and cerebral palsy. 

On the other hand, musculoskeletal conditions affect the bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This can cause conditions such as back pain, osteoporosis, shoulder and knee injuries, and tendinitis. 

Overall, physical therapy or physiotherapy aims at restoring the patient’s mobility, strength, functionality, and stability. The therapists also work with the patients to help alleviate pain through a combination of targeted therapies and other treatment procedures. 

 

Speech therapy

Speech rehabilitation therapy focuses on patients with speech and swallowing disorders. Most people who suffer a stroke often require speech therapy. It helps them adjust and learn how to eat by themselves without chocking and restore normal speech functionality. Speech therapists also specialize in helping children suffering from development disorders, including autism, down syndrome, and ADHD. 

Speech disorder often occurs when there is a defect or weakness in the throat or mouth. It’s characterized by unclear speech and weak or slow swallowing process. 

 

Occupational rehabilitation

Occupational rehabilitation therapy is mainly concerned with employment associated training. It aims at preparing patients to resume work after an illness or injury. It also helps them improve their convenience and accessibility whilst at work or home. 

After being discharged from the hospital, doctors usually advise the patients to join a vocational rehabilitation program. This is to help them maintain their employment positions or find a new job. The vocational program can range from job coaching and employment readiness training to job placement guidance. 

 

Cognitive rehabilitation

Cognitive rehabilitation therapy is designed to help patients enhance their cognitive functions, especially in people with brain damage or injury. It also helps with their thinking, memory, and reasoning skills. Cognitive rehabilitation specialists include occupational therapists, speech therapists, and neuropsychologists. 

 

Respiratory therapy

Respiratory rehabilitation therapy is designed to help patients with respiratory system conditions, including breathing difficulties. It helps address health issues such as respiratory distress and air paths blockage. It also specializes in educating patients on how to use inhalers and supplemental oxygen to combat breathing problem. 

 

What to Expect From Rehabilitation Treatment 

The duration of the rehabilitation treatment usually depends on the type, the health condition, and severity. While some can take a few days or weeks, others last for months or even more. There are no basic rules for rehabilitation treatment; instead, it depends on patients' situations and needs. 

Therefore, when opting for a rehabilitation treatment program, you should expect the following; 

 

Admission and assessment

The first step usually involves admission into the rehabilitation facility and assessing the medical records to determine your condition. The therapists will also ask about your objectives and expectations at the end of the program. This enables them to work with you while adhering to your needs and requirements. 

 

Intake evaluation process 

After admission, the therapist performs a thorough evaluation of the following; 

• Occupational
• Speech 
• Physical skills
• Cognitive ability 
• Functional tests 
• Neuropsychological testing 

This enables them to determine where the problem lies and work with you while focusing on that particular issue. 

 

Developing a treatment plan

During this step, the therapists and other rehabilitation medical experts develop a treatment plan based on the evaluation results. The plan will be based on the understanding and knowledge of the impacts of injury to the brain function. It also focuses on different areas, including cognitive (thinking), physical, emotional, or behavioral.

The treatment plan also involves combining the patient’s weakness, strength, personality, and interest to create an effective treatment plan. The neuropsychologists and psychologists usually coordinate these plans. This is because they understand the brains' functions and structure and the relation to other psychological procedures and characters. It can be ways of thinking, judgment, and memory. 

 

Rehabilitation program

Once you have a proper treatment plan, the rehabilitation program begins. Medical conditions and expectations usually determine the duration. 

Rehabilitation involves learning and understanding every individual while encouraging them towards the top independence level to improve their situation. Also, during the treatment process, the therapists will give your family an insight into the expected results. 

This is because most brain damages and injuries are associated with challenges that might not manifest immediately but can appear with time. They include memory or thinking difficulties and changes in the personality. 

 

Discharge plans 

As the rehabilitation program comes to an end, the therapists will make some discharge plans. This is to help the patients as they prepare to enter the next chapter of life. This also helps develop a modified course to help the patient during the recovery process. 

 

Benefits of Rehabilitation 

Rehabilitation center helps minimize the effects of various medical conditions, such as illnesses, injuries, and acute or chronic diseases. This can as well complement other treatment forms, including medications and surgical procedures to help achieve the best possible results. For instance, it can help ease, prevent, and manage various complications caused by medical conditions like a fracture, spine injury, and stroke. 

Rehabilitation therapy slows down or reduces the disabling impacts caused by chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. This is by giving the patients effective self-management approaches and everything they need or managing pains and associated complications. 

Ultimately, rehabilitation treatment is beneficial to the patients as well as the entire society. This is because it helps prevent pricey hospitalization, readmissions, and longer stays in the hospital. Furthermore, it allows patients to take part in an educational program and seek employment. Rehabilitations also train individuals to be independent while at home, hence avoiding the need for assistance or financial support. 

 

Bottom Line

Rehabilitation refers to the process of helping and guiding people who have suffered severe injuries and diseases. It mainly focuses on helping them restore their lost or altered skills and abilities in order to regain full self-sufficiency. 

With CloudHospital, you can easily access the best rehabilitation treatment and services depending on your situation. The primary objective is to give personalized medical care and rehabilitation experience for every patient. It can be children, adults, inpatients, and even outpatients.