While hemiplegia is typically characterized as paralysis on one side of the body, there are multiple types of hemiplegia—some of which may be more limited in scope than others. A few different types of hemiplegia include:

Facial Hemiplegia

Also referred to as partial facial paralysis, this is a form of partial hemiplegia where the muscles on one side of the face are paralyzed. This is often caused by a stroke or similar brain injury. Facial hemiplegia may or may not be associated with complete/incomplete hemiplegia in other areas of the body.

Spinal Hemiplegia

When hemiplegia is caused by a spinal cord injury (usually above the C6 portion of the spinal column), it may be referred to as spinal hemiplegia. SCI-related hemiplegia is typically caused by an incomplete SCI as opposed to a complete SCI. Complete SCIs, where the spinal cord is completely severed, usually result in total paralysis on both sides of the body below the injury site.

Contralateral Hemiplegia

Contralateral hemiplegia is the result of brain damage, where the paralyzed side of the body is the opposite side from where the brain damage occurred. This is normal for brain damage-related cases of hemiplegia because the right side of the brain generally controls motor function on the left side of the body (and the left side of the brain controls the right half of the body).

Cerebral Hemiplegia

When hemiplegia is caused by cerebral palsy (or other conditions affecting the brain), it can be referred to as cerebral hemiplegia. Cerebral hemiplegia symptoms are often similar to other forms of hemiplegia but may vary in severity and duration depending on the condition causing the paralysis.

Spastic Hemiplegia

Spastic Hemiplegia is a variation of hemiplegia where the muscles on one side of the body are in a state of constant contraction. This type of hemiplegia may result in chronic muscle pain, deformities in affected limbs (in extreme cases), and difficulty walking or maintaining motor control. This condition is closely linked to cerebral palsy, and the severity (as well as the duration) of spastic hemiplegia symptoms may vary from case to case.