Helping people in West Berkshire rebuild confidence and communication
What Causes Aphasia?
Aphasia is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that deal with language. Common causes are:
Anyone can get aphasia, but it's more common in people over 65. This is because the risk of stroke and conditions like dementia is higher for older people.
A stroke – this is the most common cause of aphasia.
A brain tumour, or bleeding or an infection in the brain.
Conditions that cause the brain to become damaged over time, for example dementia, or alcohol or drug-related brain damage.
There are different types of aphasia depending on which part of your brain has been affected.
If aphasia was caused by a stroke, head injury or brain tumour, most people improve with treatment, especially in the first few months.
People can still improve months or years later, and some do recover fully.
If aphasia is caused by a condition that gets worse over time, for example, dementia, the symptoms are likely to get worse.
Treatment may focus on learning and practising other ways of communicating, for example, drawing, body language or using technology.
Speech and language therapy should help, and there are things you and others can do to help manage aphasia.