Category: Dementia

When people get older, they start to experience problems with their body like joint issues, digestive problems, and even problems with their memory. However, not all older people start to have issues with their memory, and it could actually be problems with dementia. For family members that are concerned about whether or not someone they love is susceptible to dementia, here is more information on the causes of dementia that people need to be aware of so they can look for the signs of it in their relatives.
Dementia Can Be Caused By Nerve Conditions of the Brain

Dementia is caused by the brain cells being degenerated, and there are a lot of different conditions that can cause it such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. With any of these conditions, the brain cells are starting to waste away, and people are going to have issues with things like their memories, and other basic functions.

Dementia Can Be Caused By Conditions That Affect the Blood Vessels In the Brain

Another condition that can affect whether a person develops Dementia or not are the blood vessels that are located in the brain. If a person had a stroke, the blood supply to the brain may be compromised, and the lack of blood in the brain is going to affect the cells. Without blood, the cells in the brain are not getting the proper nutrition that they need from blood to function the way they should.

Dementia Can Be Caused By Substance Abuse

Sometimes people do terrible things to their bodies, such as drink too much alcohol or abuse drugs. However, once people clean up their acts, and stop drinking and doing drugs, the effect can last a lifetime. The high that people get from both drugs and alcohol can be permanently alter the body such as affecting the blood flow to the brain as much as to the heart.
Dementia Can Be Caused By a Lack of Certain Nutrients

People need to remember that without a proper diet, they can be setting themselves up for conditions that will affect them later in life. In order to make sure people are getting the right vitamins and nutrients, people need to add a multivitamin to their diet. If people are lacking in vitamin B12 and folate, then that is going to have an effect on their mental facilities. Brain cells do need blood, and vitamins and nutrients that it contains as well in order to fire off synapses properly, and other mental functions such as memory. Also, a lack of certain vitamins and minerals can also affect the body in other ways, and people need to make sure they are getting the recommended daily allowance of all the important vitamins and minerals in order to be as healthy as possible.

Dementia can happen to men and women when they get older, but there are ways that the condition can be prevented especially if they understand the causes. Dementia can be caused by things like drug abuse, a lack of the right vitamins and nutrients, and suffering from an event such as a stroke. However, if people do take care of themselves, and stay away from substances like drugs and alcohol, then they can prevent ending up with a Demenita, and grow old gracefully and in good health.

People who are growing older may not realize that they are exhibiting the signs of Dementia. Though people think that memory loss is the one sign of dementia, it is not the only one. With Dementia, the symptoms of the condition can come on gradually over time, and they can be so gradual that people may not notice that something is happening to them. Here is a list of the most common symptoms associated with Dementia.

Impaired Judgment

A sign that someone may be developing Dementia is the fact that they are doing things that they would not normally do. A lapse in judgment may mean something like a person who has always gone to work on time, may suddenly decide to not go to work at all. If the friends and family members of a relative suddenly notice that person acting strange, and doing things they know are risky or dangerous, then this is a sign that something may be going on at a mental level.

Problems with Balance and Mobility

Another sign of Dementia may be the fact that people are having issues with how they are walking around. However, other than Dementia, there are other medical conditions that can impair the way that someone is moving around. Issues with vertigo, which is a problem with the three bones of the ear, can also give people an appearance of almost drunk-like movement where they do not have good balance. However, if the inner ear is just fine, then problems with balance and mobility can be diagnosed as Dementia.
Loss of Time

There can be many reasons why someone may lose a day or two, or even several hours in a single day. Sometimes people who work nights may lose track of time because they are wide awake during the night when their body clock is used to being asleep during this time. Another reason for people to lose time is being sick, and sometimes with a fever, people can suddenly not know what day it is. However, for people with Dementia, the loss of time is from a problem with their brain cells that are literally having them lose hours at a time.

Lack of Personal Hygiene

Another sign that something is going on with a loved one is the fact that they are forgetting to take a shower and keep clean. While sometimes people get busy and forget to tend to their hygiene, but a habit of forgetting to shower, or even change clothes, on a regular basis is definitely a red flag that this may be more than just being too busy to keep clean.
As people get older, it is normal for them to change, but if more is going on with them then grey hair and wrinkles, then that is a sign that something may be going on like a diagnosis of Dementia. People may not realize that something is going on with them, but there are signs of the condition such as lost time, forgetting to take a shower and change clothes, and a serious lapse of judgment. If friends and relatives are in trouble, then the signs of Dementia are bound to be noticed by someone, and an appointment can be made with a physician for an examination to find out the truth.

When people are diagnosed with Dementia, they have to have a long discussion with their doctors about what their treatment options are. Typically, when people are diagnosed with Dementia, there are two kinds of treatments that exist, ones that can reverse the condition, and some that cannot reverse the condition. Here is more information on both kinds of treatments that are available to people who have been diagnosed with this life-altering condition.

Treatments That Reverse Dementia

For people who are diagnosed with Dementia that is reversible, the first thing that people need to do is to have their vitamin B12 levels check. One cause of Dementia is lacking in vitamin B12, and without proper levels of this vitamin, the cells in the brain are not going to work properly. Supplements are available of this particular vitamin, and people who start taking it are going to notice that their memory issues have improved. Another treatment to reverse Dementia involves taking medicine that can help for people who have been diagnosed with depression because the condition can have an effect on the brain. If people have been diagnosed with another medical condition, they need to talk to their doctor about their Dementia diagnosis because they need to make sure they are not put on medicines that can have side effects including memory loss and confusion.

Treatments That Cannot Reverse Dementia

For some people that have diagnosed with Dementia, the condition cannot be reversed. There are medications that people can take that are going to help them improve with their memory, and other mental functions. Another treatment for irreversible Dementia is to get counseling. It can be tough for people who are having memory issues to come to terms with the fact they have to rely on others in order to live their lives. Sometimes people can get very depressed with the fact their lives are going to change, and that can be hard to deal with. Counseling can be one way to help people cope with all the changes they have to go through. Also, there are support groups that families people can join, and they can share their feelings with other people that are going through the same kind of ordeal with their family members. Also, the support groups can offer advice for people on how to become more independent, which will mean that people with Dementia can still be able to do some things on their own.

There are many treatment options available for people who are diagnosed with Dementia. However, there are two kinds of treatments for people who have Dementia that is reversible, and treatment for when it is not. With people who have reversible Dementia, they have to do things like make sure they have the right amount of vitamin B12 in their bodies, and also have to make sure they are not taking any medications that can cause confusion and memory issues. For people who have to live with the condition, that is not reversible, the best things they can do is take medicine to help with their mental functions, and also seek out a support group so they can talk about what they are feeling as they go through such a live altering condition.