What is Aphasia?

Especially after the recent diagnosis of Hollywood star Bruce Willis, the question “What is aphasia?” became the most frequently asked question.
Aphasia is a condition that affects a person's communication skills. It is a language disorder that occurs as a result of damage to the region of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension. The presence of aphasia prevents the person from communicating with others.

Aphasia is a condition that can cause serious problems with the quality of life. The patient may not be able to perform his/her daily functions, he/she may not be able to carry out his/her work or even his/her relationships.

Diagnosis of aphasia, which has many types, is made depending on the extent of the damage and factors such as what part of the language-dominant side of the brain is affected. 

What Causes Aphasia?

It is known that many factors are effective in the emergence of aphasia. It typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or head injury. However, aphasia may develop due to diseases such as brain tumors, infection, and dementia. The severity of the disease can also vary depending on different factors such as the area covered and the cause of the damage.

What Are the Symptoms of Aphasia?   

Symptoms of aphasia can also vary depending on its type.

However, in general, the main symptoms are listed as follows.

• Difficulty in speaking, forming short and meaningless sentences
• Difficulty in naming 
• Difficulty in understanding
• Difficulty in reading and writing, writing meaningless sentences
• Using inappropriate and strange words while speaking

How to Diagnose Aphasia?

When a doctor is consulted due to the suspected aphasia symptoms, first of all, the patient's history and detailed examination are performed. In addition, the diagnosis is clarified with the help of some imaging methods and tests.

How to Treat Aphasia?

Aphasia treatment is planned according to the condition of the damage to the brain and the effect it has on the person. Therefore, the treatment also varies according to the age of the patient, the diagnosis (what type of Aphasia is present), the cause of the resulting brain damage, and the location and size of the lesion. Because patients with mild brain damage can improve their language skills without treatment.

However, speech and language rehabilitation occupy an important place in treatment. The aim for people with aphasia who receive speech and language therapy is to recover their language and speech skills that will enable them to communicate healthily. However, research continues into the use of medications alone or in combination with talk therapy to treat aphasia.