The Hauenstein
Neuroscience Center

Saint Mary's Health Care 

616-685-5050

Stroke

Designated as a Primary Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, Saint Mary’s Stroke Program houses state-of-the-art diagnostic technologies, a fellowship-trained vascular neurologist, neurointerventionist, a dedicated stroke unit, and an interdisciplinary approach to stroke care that emphasizes speed and efficiency of care.

Services

• Rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke symptoms
• Dedicated stroke beds on neuroscience unit
• Pharmacologic and interventional treatments for ischemic stroke
• Transcranial doppler
• Stroke prevention and follow-up clinic
• NIHSS certified physicians and nurses
• Nurse navigator
• Stroke support groups
• Neurointervention techniques
• Stroke research

Complementary Therapies for Stroke

In conjunction with The Wege Institute for Mind, Body and Spirit at Saint Mary’s, our stroke program actively integrates complementary therapies into patients’ overall treatment program. These therapies provide a new dimension of care for stroke patients, with healing benefits for mind, body and spirit.

Acupuncture
Numerous articles have been published demonstrating the positive effect of acupuncture on stroke patients. As soon as patients are stabilized, acupuncture is started to assist in the recovery process.

Manual Therapy
As with patients suffering from spinal conditions, manual therapy techniques are used when other methods of physical therapy are painful; when patients have guarded motions; and when progress is not sustained with traditional physical therapy practices.

Massage Therapy
It is commonly believed that massage can increase local blood flow, even in normal tissues.

Music Therapy
Studies show that patients who have brain damage due to stroke or traumatic brain injury exhibit significant improvement with music therapy. Scientists believe it is due to a process called entrainment, which is the synchronization of movement to the rhythm of music. Consistent practice leads to gains in motor skills, efficiency, cognitive processes and language skills. Patients who experience communication and speech disorders following a stroke often retain the ability to sing.

Neurofeedback
There are indications that neurofeedback can be helpful for stroke patients based upon positive study results on patients with traumatic brain injury — most of it minor. Neurofeedback training had a favorable impact on symptoms such as loss of energy; headaches and chronic pain; dizziness and vertigo; memory impairment; difficulty concentrating; anxiety, depression, and mood swings; sleep disturbances; irritability; visual perception problems and dyslexia; and personality changes.

Read a story from one of our stroke patients.

Read a Mlive.com article profiling Dr. Muhammad Farooq, Vascular Neurologist specializing in Stroke treatment.

For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please call us at 616-685-5050, or toll free at 877-702-5050.