What Is Stroke?
Also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), stroke is divided into two types. One type happens when blood flow to the brain is reduced or blocked, which is known as an ischemic stroke. The other type of stroke happens when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts, causing bleeding in the brain. This is known as a hemorrhagic stroke. Both types of stroke cause damage to the brain cells and disrupt body functioning.
Stroke Symptoms
- Numbness, paralysis, or weakness in arms, legs, or face
- Trouble speaking
- Trouble understanding what others are saying
- Vision problems
- Severe headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Coordination or balance problems
Stroke Causes
- High blood pressure
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Concussions (increase risks of stroke)
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Previous stroke
- Heart disease
- Some medications
- Age
- Genetics
Stroke Diagnosis
Strokes are an emergency condition, and will be treated as such, usually in the hospital emergency room. A CT scan will likely be done to determine the type and extent of the stroke. Other scans, such as an MRI or Angiogram will likely be done, and the ER doctors will order a series of blood tests to help determine the correct diagnosis and underlying causative factors.
Stroke Treatment
The types of treatment for a stroke will be determined by what type of stroke you’ve had. For an ischemic stroke, medications will be given and procedures completed to restore blood flow to the brain. With a hemorrhagic stroke, treatment will be focused on stopping the bleeding happening in the brain.
Stroke Recovery
Stroke recovery happens either in-patient at a rehab facility, at an out-patient facility, or at home, depending on the severity of the stroke and resulting damage to the brain, as well as the patient’s support system. Recovery goals are maximizing function recovery and minimizing secondary disability or health complications.
CranioSacral Therapy For Stroke Recovery
CranioSacral Therapy for stroke recovery is done with a doctor’s clearance once you’re stable. The focus is on releasing strain patterns in the brain and the body caused by the stroke.
Most strokes leave strain patterns in the brain tissue and surrounding soft tissues. Once the strain patterns are released, patients recover more quickly and completely from a stroke. CranioSacral Therapy is most effective as a complementary modality when utilized within one year of the stroke incident.
Benefits of CranioSacral Therapy For Stroke Recovery
Reduced healing time, increased body functioning, more ease in movement, better sensory processing, and more, are all benefits of utilizing CranioSacral Therapy for stroke recovery.
As with all therapies and protocols, each person responds differently with the use of CranioSacral Therapy. Health status, chronic disease, medications, previous illnesses, and previous injuries are all factors in outcomes. Please call for a complimentary consultation to discuss your particulars and goals.
Hi, I’m Sandy Schell, a Certified CranioSacral Therapist with 20+ years experience. As an Advanced Level Therapist, I’ve helped people with a wide variety of health conditions. My primary focus is CranioSacral Therapy, although I will also combine other modalities as necessary into a session, such as Myofascial Release, Reiki, Grid Balancing, Vagus Nerve Balancing.
CranioSacral Therapy St Petersburg FL has a long, proven track record of being able to restore health and vitality by focusing on the core elements that “run” the body – the nervous system, it’s fluids, rhythms, and fascia (connective tissue).
CranioSacral Therapy is based in Osteopathic Medicine, and dates back to the early 1900’s. It’s safe, effective, and results-oriented.
The proper functioning of your nervous system is vitally important to your health and well-being. Your nervous system is based in communication, which happens through the cells, the energetic impulses, the fluids, and the connective tissues of the body. Having clear, strong, healthy communication, energy, and fluid movement is what underlies a health body. By focusing on the nervous system, a properly trained, experienced CranioSacral Therapist can release stress patterns at the causative level, resulting in symptoms disappearing once balance and communication throughout the body are restored.
Musculoskeletal tightness, neurological imbalances, autoimmune disease, many types of pain, and organ dysfunction are some of the many categories of health conditions that typically respond well with CranioSacral Therapy.
Please call for a complimentary consultation to discuss your particulars and goals.
Last Updated on 12/28/2025 by Sandy Schell
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