Neurological Rehabilitation

Neurological rehabilitation helps people regain movement, speech, thinking skills and independence after damage to the brain, spinal cord or nerves. A team led by a rehabilitation physician brings together physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, neuropsychologists and nurses around goals agreed with you and your family.

Recovery rests on neuroplasticity, the nervous system's capacity to rewire with intensive, repeated, task-specific practice. Gains are fastest in the first 3 to 6 months after a stroke or injury but can continue for years. Rehabilitation improves function and adaptation. It does not regrow destroyed tissue, and no device or injection has been shown to do that.

Conditions this service looks after

• Stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Spinal cord injury
• Multiple sclerosis
• Parkinson's disease
• Guillain-Barre syndrome and other neuropathies
• Cerebral palsy in children and adults
• Recovery after brain or spine tumour surgery
• Functional neurological disorder
• Motor neurone disease, with a supportive focus

Tests you may be offered

• Functional scales: Measures such as the Barthel Index, FIM and Berg Balance Scale set a baseline and track change.
• Swallowing assessment: Bedside testing and, where needed, video X-ray or endoscopic studies to prevent aspiration.
• Cognitive and language assessment: Identifies memory, attention, neglect and aphasia so that therapy can be targeted.
• Spasticity and gait analysis: Guides botulinum toxin injection, splinting and orthotics.
• Bladder and bowel assessment: Urodynamic testing in spinal cord injury and MS.

Treatments available

• Task-specific physiotherapy: Repetitive practice of standing, walking, transfers and balance, several hours a day in intensive programmes.
• Occupational therapy: Retraining of dressing, washing, cooking, arm and hand use, plus home adaptations and wheelchairs.
• Speech and language therapy: For aphasia, slurred speech and swallowing, delivered in your own language to be effective.
• Spasticity management: Stretching, splints, botulinum toxin injections and, for severe cases, a baclofen pump.
• Robotic and technology-assisted therapy: Gait trainers, arm robots, functional electrical stimulation and virtual reality increase repetition. They add to, and do not replace, therapist-led practice.
• Neuropsychology and family support: For mood, behaviour and cognitive change and for carer training.

When to ask for a specialist opinion

• As early as possible after a stroke, brain or spinal cord injury, once medically stable
• Recovery has plateaued and you want a reassessment and new goals
• Spasticity, pain or contractures are interfering with care or movement
• A progressive condition is causing falls or loss of independence
• You are returning to work or driving after a neurological illness

Travelling to Türkiye for this care

Inpatient programmes of 4 to 8 weeks are one of the more reasonable things to travel for, because intensity matters and daily multi-hour therapy may be hard to obtain at home. Conditions apply. You must be medically stable and cleared to fly, usually several weeks after a stroke. A carer should come with you. Speech and cognitive therapy work properly only in a language you speak well, so ask what is available. Be wary of any programme advertising stem cells or cures. Rehabilitation continues for life, so request a detailed discharge report and home programme for your local therapists.

Send your reports, scans and a short history and a Clinic-Y coordinator replies within 24 hours with suitable teams and written, all-inclusive proposals side by side. Reviewing your case is free.

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