The main types of rehabilitation in Germany
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Rehabilitation is an obligatory stage in the treatment process of patients with stroke, cerebral palsy, scoliosis, joint diseases, and oncological pathology. However, medical facilities often provide medical care in acute cases and do not pay enough attention to rehabilitation therapy. As a rule, the rehabilitation programs are carried out based on private centers, which are able to purchase the necessary equipment and engage qualified rehabilitologists for cooperation. For the same reason, the patients are increasingly seeking medical help from foreign clinics with long clinical experience and patented rehabilitation techniques.
Content
- Neurological rehabilitation
- Orthopedic rehabilitation
- Oncological rehabilitation
- Specificities of rehabilitation in Germany
- Rehabilitation programs in Germany for foreign patients
Neurological rehabilitation
Neurorehabilitation in Germany helps to recover from hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke, traumatic injuries to the brain and spinal cord, and degenerative and inflammatory diseases of the nervous system. In children, it is most often performed in cerebral palsy or psychomotor developmental disorders.
Neurological rehabilitation combines drug stimulation of the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as direct work with the musculoskeletal system. The following methods are applied:
- Use of neuro- and angioprotectors
- Massage
- Therapeutic exercises, physical work with a rehabilitologist
- Work with a speech therapist
- Ergotherapy, restoration of the ability to fulfill activities of daily living
- Restoration of fine motor skills using the Amadeo system
- Restoration of the coordinated work of the upper limb muscles using Armeo-power simulator, stimulation of the regeneration of the nerve endings on the arm
- Reduced spasticity and increased muscle strength of the lower limbs using Lokomat simulator, restoration of walking pattern
- Correction of gait and body position using TheraSuit Method, stimulation of motor skills, and mental development
For example, neurological rehabilitation after stroke is divided into phases A, B, C, and D. The measures of phase A are carried out within the Intensive Care Unit, in the acute stage of pathology, and they move to phase B – early rehabilitation on an inpatient basis, outside the Intensive Care Unit. Phase C or subsequent rehabilitation is carried out on an outpatient basis. It is reinforced by supporting the rehabilitation of phase D.
Orthopedic rehabilitation
Orthopedic rehabilitation in Germany improves patients' quality of life with scoliosis, traumatic injuries to the musculoskeletal system, and rheumatologic lesions of bones and joints (for example, in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthrosis). It is aimed at functional recovery and pain relief.
The musculoskeletal rehabilitation methods include the following options:
- Massage, manual therapies
- Physiotherapy (extracorporeal shockwave therapy, magnetotherapy, laser therapy, electrophoresis with drugs)
- Mechanotherapy (passive work out of large and small joints)
- Electrical stimulation of nerve centers and nerve endings
- Work with a verticalizer (for example, Verte Trek in clinically significant cervical and lumbar disc herniation)
- Work with the spinal decompression system (for example, DRX 9000 C in clinically significant thoracic and lumbar disc herniation)
Due to the resistance of bone tissue to external therapeutic effects, the courses of orthopedic rehabilitation last at least 1-2 months. At the same time, the benefit of such treatment significantly exceeds its potential financial risks since orthopedic rehabilitation allows delay or complete elimination of surgical treatment.
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Oncological rehabilitation
Oncological rehabilitation is carried out after a course of chemotherapy, during the postoperative period, and the period of persistent remission. Unfortunately, the cancer treatment techniques approved by international protocols often have a negative effect on healthy body tissues. Oncological rehabilitation helps to eliminate the adverse effects of radiation and drug therapy, thereby allowing patients to return to normal life or improve their well-being maximally.
Oncological rehabilitation takes into account the patient’s age, general condition, physical abilities, and motivation. Accurate diagnostics and treatment are also taken into account. For example, the rehabilitation program after mastectomy in breast cancer in young and middle-aged women includes the following measures:
- Massage and manual lymphatic drainage
- Physical exercises (restoration of upper limb function on the affected side)
- Balneotherapy (carbon dioxide baths)
- Mud poultice application
- Training in relaxation techniques (yoga, meditation)
Oncological rehabilitation is supplemented by psychological consultations – individual and in self-help groups. Cooperation with a psychologist helps to cope with depression and accept the changes which have occurred in the body.
Specificities of rehabilitation in Germany
The availability of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and rich clinical experience in the recovery of patients with various pathologies allow German specialists to follow quality rehabilitation principles strictly. These are:
- Comprehensiveness – the use of complementary techniques, for example, a combination of physiotherapy and drug therapy
- Staging – modulation of the intensity of the therapeutic effect, for example, a gradual increase in physical activity
- Control – continuous medical monitoring and dynamic assessment of changes in the patient's condition
- Regularity and duration – the scheme of therapeutic procedures and the duration of therapy are constantly adjusted depending on the patient's condition
In addition, the specialized clinics in Germany always carry out the rehabilitation in a multidisciplinary manner. The following doctors from various fields cooperate actively within the program:
- Neurologists, orthopedists, cardiologists, oncologists, and other dedicated specialists
- Exercise specialists
- Physiotherapists
- Reflexologists
- Chiropractors
- Occupational therapists
- Speech therapists
- Psychologists, self-help groups
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Rehabilitation programs in Germany for foreign patients
German rehabilitation centers admit patients from other countries for treatment along with German citizens. In order to correctly prepare the necessary documents and receive an invitation for a treatment, it will be more convenient to use the services of the Booking Health company for international patients. The Booking Health company is the only medical tourism operator in the world, which helps patients from 75 countries to undergo rehabilitation in Germany.
The specialists of Booking Health will help you with such important aspects as:
- Selection of the best hospital based on an annual qualification profile
- Establishment of communication with your attending physician
- Preparation of medical program in advance
- Provision of favorable costs for the rehabilitation, without overpricing and additional coefficients for foreign patients (saving up to 50%)
- Booking the appointment with a doctor on a convenient date for you
- Monitoring of medical program at all its stages
- Buying and forwarding of medicines
- Communication with the hospital after treatment completion
- Control of invoices and return of unspent funds
- Organization of additional examinations, if necessary.
- High-quality service: booking of hotels, airline tickets, transfer
Please, leave a request with basic medical and contact information on the Booking Health website, and wait for a call from the specialist of our company within 24 hours.
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Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
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