When your ability to communicate is affected: understanding aphasia

You may have heard of someone experiencing aphasia after having a stroke. That’s a common cause of this language disorder, but it’s not the only one. Aphasia—difficulty understanding or using speech—is caused by damage to the brain.

More than 1 million Americans are currently experiencing aphasia, and around 180,000 more may develop the disorder this year alone.

At Touro, we have extensive experience in treating aphasia through rehabilitation and other care services. Read on as we share some insight about the condition.

What aphasia is

Aphasia is a language disorder that originates from some type of damage affecting the part of the brain responsible for language.

Most of the time, this brain damage develops quickly. When an ischemic stroke occurs, for example, a clot cuts off blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and causing brain cells to die off. A hemorrhagic stroke can have a similar effect, causing immediate damage to the brain due to excessive blood putting pressure on brain cells.

A head injury is another example of an acute form of brain damage. On the other hand, brain damage can also occur over time due to causes such as a brain tumor or a neurological disease.

Regardless of the type of brain damage responsible for aphasia, the language disorder is typically diagnosed based on symptoms and using imaging scans such as a CT scan to verify the portion of the brain affected.

Not all aphasias are the same

The specific challenges associated with aphasia depend on the type of aphasia a person has.

There are two primary types of aphasia: fluent and nonfluent. Within these two overarching categories of aphasia, there are also multiple subcategories, differing in how they affect a person’s ability to communicate.

Wernicke’s aphasia is the most common type of fluid aphasia. Someone with this condition may speak in rambling sentences that have no meaning, sometimes even using made-up words, and have difficulty understanding speech.

Broca’s aphasia is the most common type of nonfluent aphasia. People with aphasia of this type can understand speech, but their ability to communicate is impacted. They may know what they want to say but experience challenges being able to speak.

Another type of aphasia known as global aphasia occurs when there is extensive damage to the area of the brain that controls language. Global aphasia causes more widespread challenges with language, including difficulty understanding speech and speaking.

Other types of aphasia can also impact reading and writing.

Overcoming the challenges of aphasia

Treatment for aphasia usually includes intensive rehabilitation, including working with a speech language pathologist.

Our team of rehabilitation specialists work with patients who have experienced brain damage due to a stroke, a traumatic brain injury or some other source. During rehab sessions, we work collaboratively with patients and their loved ones to:

• Identify alternative ways to communicate, such as hand gestures, writing or drawing
• Improve language skills
• Relearn basic reading methods
• Use technology and other tools to help improve both the understanding of speech and the ability to speak

Because language disorders, such as aphasia, present challenges to both the patient and his or her family, we try to involve family members and other loved ones whenever possible. To effectively communicate in the short-term and even the long-term, it may be necessary for loved ones to adapt how they speak and communicate in order to be understood.

While aphasia is a complex challenge, we’re here to walk beside our patients at every step of the journey.

When you or a loved one faces challenges related to your ability to communicate or perform other daily activities, Touro offers a full spectrum of rehabilitation services that can help. To learn more, call 504.897.8560.