Alzheimer’s Symptoms
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) starts with memory loss that slowly gets worse. However, it’s wrong to consider occasional forgetfulness to be a sign of Alzheimer’s (like forgetting a name or not being able to remember where you put your glasses). These problems may have to do with aging and do not necessarily mean you are developing AD. While that can create some problems, in general there is no interference with the quality of your life and everyday habits, which happens in the case of Alzheimer’s.
The earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s include the following memory problems:
• Trouble recognizing people or things the person has known for a long time
• Difficulty recalling the events that happened not so long ago
• Inability to correctly solve basic arithmetic problems
• Trouble finding definition for a regular object or phenomenon
• Trouble dealing with usual tasks
Alzheimer’s symptoms tend to get worse as the illness progresses, and should be treated with drugs. The following symptoms occur at the following stage:
• Loss of ability to perform usual tasks and activities without any external help, such as dressing, eating, using the bathroom or bathing
• Inability to solve simple problems
• Trouble memorizing new information (facts, numbers, names)
• Communication problems – reading, writing and speaking
• Confusion and loss of orientation in familiar situations
• Higher risk or injury due to impaired judgement of the Alzheimer’s patient
At the following stages, Alzheimer’s symptoms are quite severe:
• Complete loss of memory (both short-term and long-term). It’s hard for the Alzheimer’s patient to recognize close friends and relatives.
• Inability to do anything without external help.
• Severe confusion and disorientation. Such people can get lost, not being able to find their way home.
• Drastic personality or behavior changes. The person can suddenly become hostile and aggressive.
• Impaired motor function. The Alzheimer’s patient may not be able to move without additional help.
• Impairment of other functions (swallowing, for example). Can lead to choking, aspiration and other related problems (the sucking of saliva, beverages etc. into lungs).
These symptoms of Alzheimer’s are developed over several years. They are individual for every person, and Alzheimer’s treatment can vary.
Older people tend to develop certain symptoms, such as confusion or forgetfulness, due to depression or anxiety, but they should not always be interpreted as the early stage of AD. These problems are usually reversible, and it’s important to distinguish them from Alzheimer’s disease.
Although it is normal for some mental processes to slow down with age, any changes that interfere with normal everyday life, such as inability to go to the bathroom, groom, eat or behave properly, keep to certain rules or take part in different activities, may, in fact, be early signs of the illness. In that case, adequate Alzheimer’s treatment is required.
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