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WisconsinChristianNews.com
Volume 27, Issue 1
For Those Affected By Aphasia
By Dr. David Lange, Genesis Primary Care April 2026 In order to learn and go about our busi- ness day to day, we need to take in and give out information. As we interact with others, the main
depends on the cause. Strokes can be debilitating on many fronts, but physical, occupational and speech therapies can all help the brain to learn new pathways to compensate for the lost brain tissue and regain
that the power of the study may not be enough to truly back up a claim. Speaking of not having the large studies to back up a claim, let’s talk about one of those therapies that certainly — on paper — has prom-
chamber. These chambers still use pressure and oxygen like the med- ical chambers, but at a lower pres- sure and oxygen level, thus making them far safer to use in a less super- vised and controlled environment. They are also available to the general public and cost far less to use than the medical chambers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) reduces inflammation and helps to stimulate the production of stem cells of all sorts, among many other physiological changes. These changes will help the brain to heal. In the case of a stroke, this can re- verse many of those neuron losses. For degenerative diseases it will help to slow down the condition. As one example, there are specific nerves that are lost in Parkinson’s Disease leading to the characteristic signs like tremor. Hyperbaric oxygen slows the loss of these neurons and helps preserve the chemicals in the brain necessary for controlling our mus- cles. The unfortunate part of any neurological condition is too many are progressive despite this and other treatments offered, but pro- longing function is an important as- pect, so that one may have a better quality of life. Losing one’s ability to easily and clearly communicate with those around them is a terribly frustrating situation to be in. What was once taken for granted has become a struggle to complete. Made worse when the mind is still otherwise clear. Patience and understanding are critical when communicating with them. Finishing sentences, speaking for them or simply ignoring them is never the way to go. We live in a busy, fast paced world but working with affected family mem- bers requires us to slow down and take our time. May I, and all of us, find the time needed to ease this challenging situation. GenesisPrimaryCare.com Please see the display ad on Page 20 of this issue of Wisconsin Christian News).
way information is shared is to talk to one another. Unfortunately, for a fairly large group of people, their ability to speak has been compro- mised. In medicine, we call this Aphasia. I have been wanting to write this about this topic for some time now, but it is not very exciting. There seems to be less controversy about this subject than many of the previous articles that I have written. It has taken a bit longer to find the motivation than I would have cared for, but maybe that is a good thing, I have had time to write a more objec- tive article. Let’s start with a definition. Apha- sia should translate literally as “without speech,” but more generi- cally it means that there is some- thing wrong with a person’s speech, either their ability to speak or their ability to understand speech. There can be both sudden and slowly de- veloping conditions that may lead to aphasia. One of the sudden conditions is stroke. An acronym that is often cited for symptoms to watch for signs of a stroke is BE FAST. “S” is for speech. Slow developing condi- tions are numerous. Things like multiple sclerosis, dementia, Parkin- son’s disease and others will affect a person’s ability to speak clearly. Los- ing the ability to speak makes life difficult for those affected by it, as well as those who interact with them. While there is no real cure for aphasia, there are therapies that may be helpful. Of course, that all
some of those lost functions. For other chronic degenerative condi- tions these therapies are going to po- tentially help slow down the changes prolonging the patient’s ability to ef- fectively interact with their family. While there is no cure for aphasia, there are things that my patients have tried. I am by no means a sup- plement expert, and I am not always sure how much I believe the “won- ders” about the many of the prod- ucts that are out there. Some supplements are FDA regulated like vitamins and minerals. Most supple- ments are not regulated. You are at the mercy of the manufacturer to be honest with what is in the pill or po- tion that you are taking and any studies they may discuss as to the benefits of their product. For pharmaceutical products, the studies often include thousands of patients, sometimes tens of thou- sands. Well designed studies take years to complete. These study con- ditions do not always accompany supplements. This is not to say they won’t do what they claim, but just
ise, but just not enough evaluation to prove it and make it into standard medical care. I have become a big believer in hy- perbaric oxygen therapy. Stroke and other neurodegenerative conditions are not among the FDA approved conditions, but this therapy has the potential to be helpful. Hyperbaric oxygen works by increasing the amount of oxygen in the body which causes the beneficial changes. He- moglobin is how God built us to take oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to the tissues of the body. It is quite efficient at it’s job. However it is lim- ited in some respects. These limits cannot be bypassed by simply adding more oxygen to the lungs of normal individuals. However, adding pressure will increase the amount of oxygen in the tissues. Hospital grade hyperbaric therapy chambers use a combination of pressure and oxygen concentration to bypass the lungs and blood and deliver oxygen di- rectly to the tissues. A bit more recent invention is the mild hyperbaric oxygen therapy
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