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Hemiplegia.Symptoms.- Hemiplegia is easily recognized ; one arm an one leg lie limp and powerless, in spite of the patient's efforts to move them. The expression of the face is quite striking and peculiar. The eyelids on the affected side are usually partially closed, but the patient is unable to open the eye, and sometimes to close it. The result is that the patient winks only on the sound side. Moreover, the features are drawn over toward the sound side, so that the symmetry of the face is lost. This results from the fact that each side of the face is provided with a set of muscles which ordinarily balance each other, and thus keep the movable parts of the face in equilibrium. In hemiplegia, however, the muscles of one side of the face are paralyzed, so that those on the other side have nothing to oppose them, and consequently draw the lips and chin toward the ear of the same side. The wrinkles, too, which are caused largely by the action of muscles, disappear on the affected side ; hence it sometimes happens that one side of the face of an aged person presents the usual wrinkles incident to age, while the other side is as smooth and plump as that of youth. Sometimes, too, the corner of the mouth on the paralyzed side cannot be closed, and the saliva consequently dribbles away. When the patient protrudes the tongue, the tip of this organ is usually pointed toward the paralyzed side. When food or drink is taken into the mouth, it escapes from the corner, or collects between the teeth and the cheek on the same side. It will be seen, upon opening the mouth and depressing the tongue, that the projection from the soft palate, technically termed the uvula, is also directed toward one side. The subsequent history of a patient afflicted with hemiplegia varies much in different patients. It is impossible to predict what will happen ; we cannot say how long the paralysis will endure nor how much improvement will be manifested. In some cases death occurs within a few hours; in others improvement may take place within a week and entire recovery in a few weeks. These are the extremes; in many instances a slow improvement begins a considerable time after the occurrence of the hemiplegia and progresses gradually up to a certain point. The improvement is usually first manifested in the face, and next in the lower extremity. It sometimes happens that the patient can walk again without much difficulty, while the arm still remains paralyzed. In the great majority of cases the recovery is never perfect; there always remains a weakness of the paralyzed limbs, which may be so great as to seriously impair the functions of these limbs. In the course of time it usually becomes evident that the limbs which have been paralyzed are softer and less bulky than the sound ones. It sometimes happens, too, that the muscles are not restored to a uniform degree ; those on the back of the arm, for instance, will not acquire so much strength as those on the front. The result of this is permanent deformity, since the hand is bent somewhat into the shape of a bird's claw. In some cases of hemiplegia the mind is not at all affected; in the majority of instances, however, there is evidently some impairment of the mental faculties. The individuals are more easily moved to a display of emotion, and are usually fretful and irritable. An occasional incident is the loss of speech. This has been already discussed in describing apoplexy; and some cases of hemiplegia are merely instances of apoplexy. Yet this loss of speech may also occur in other instances. The subsequent history and ultimate outcome of these cases depend upon the cause of the difficulty; and it is sometimes impossible even for the physician to ascertain what that condition is. But first, if you want to come back to this web site again, just add it to your bookmarks or favorites now! Then you'll find it easy! Also, please consider sharing our helpful website with your online friends.
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