Sometimes, health conditions and accidents lead to the loss of physical, cognitive, or mental abilities. Doctors recommend rehabilitative care to improve the abilities you require for daily functioning. The primary goal of rehabilitative care is to ensure that you regain your abilities and become independent. The treatment varies depending on the cause of the problem, whether temporary or permanent, and the type of abilities you lost. For example, a heart attack victim may require cardiac rehabilitation, while some lung diseases may need pulmonary rehabilitation. Some rehabilitative care may include mental health counseling, art therapy, music therapy, pain treatment, speech/language therapy, cognitive rehabilitation, and the use of assistive devices. 

Trauma

Trauma is a significant cause of disability. The most common traumatic injuries are falls, car accidents, and other transportation accidents. As you age, you become more vulnerable to trauma may take longer to heal than younger people. A rehabilitation physician would help you through the acute and post-acute hospital care process. Initiating the rehabilitative care process in the hospital setting improves your chances of regaining your abilities within a short time. Rehabilitative care helps trauma victims minimize body tissue swelling by emphasizing rest, use of ice and compression, limiting activity, and elevation of the injured limb. This form of care is necessary even after doctors use surgical procedures, castings, and bracings to treat severe trauma. 

Surgery

After surgeries like open-heart procedures, breast cancer treatment, or hip replacements, you need rehabilitative care to recover. Physical therapists tailor your treatments to improve your overall wellness. Rehabilitative care helps you regain strength, mobility, and balance after surgery. This type of care prevents certain reactions to surgery, such as tissue tightening, limited motion, spasms, and swelling, from impeding your abilities. Rehabilitative care is also essential in reducing the scar tissue that forms after surgery. Physical therapists use ultrasound, massage, and other forms of therapy to prevent excessive scarring. These methods also help prevent the development of secondary tissue, blood clots, and infections.

Developmental Disabilities

Some developmental disabilities require rehabilitative therapy techniques such as occupational and physical therapy. These conditions include ADHD, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, vision impairment, hearing loss, and autism spectrum disorders. Patients with such conditions require physical, speech, and occupational therapy to function independently in society. 

Some of the best examples that show the importance of rehabilitative therapy include therapy for people recovering from surgery, trauma, and living with developmental disorders.

For more information on rehabilitative care contact a professional near you.