Do you know what hemiplegia means?

Hemiplegia is a movement disorder caused by hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, etc. Patients with hemiplegia will experience some abnormalities in movement, and severe cases may even become paralyzed.

Hemiplegia, also known as half of the body paralysis, refers to the movement disorder of the upper and lower limbs, facial muscles and lower part of the tongue muscles on one side. It is a common symptom of acute cerebrovascular disease. Although patients with mild hemiplegia can still move, when they walk, their upper limbs are often flexed and their lower limbs are straight. The paralyzed lower limbs make a half circle with each step. This special walking posture is called hemiplegic gait. In severe cases, patients are often bedridden and lose their ability to live. According to the degree of hemiplegia, it can be divided into mild paralysis, incomplete paralysis and complete paralysis. Mild paralysis: manifested as weakened muscle strength, which is at level 4 to 5, and generally does not affect daily life. Incomplete paralysis is more severe than mild paralysis and covers a larger range, with muscle strength at level 2 to 4. Complete paralysis: muscle strength at level 0 to 1, and the paralyzed limbs cannot move at all.

1. Mild hemiplegia

In cases of extremely mild hemiplegia, such as in the early stages of progressive hemiplegia or between attacks of transient hemiplegia, the paralysis is mild and can be easily missed without careful examination.

2. Flaccid hemiplegia

It manifests as voluntary movement disorders of the upper and lower limbs on one side accompanied by obvious hypotonia. The voluntary muscles are obviously paralyzed, while the involuntary muscles may not be paralyzed, such as gastrointestinal motility, bladder muscles, etc.

3. Spastic hemiplegia

It is characterized by a marked increase in muscle tone. The extensor muscles of the upper limbs and the flexor muscles of the lower limbs are obviously paralyzed, and the muscle tone is significantly increased. Therefore, the upper limbs are flexed, the lower limbs are extended, the fingers are in a flexed state, and there is a feeling of stiffness and resistance when the hands are passively extended.

4. Hemiplegia due to impaired consciousness

It manifests as a sudden loss of consciousness, accompanied by hemiplegia, often with the head and eyes tilted to one side.