What are signs of Alzheimer’s?

What are some beginning signs of Alzheimer’s Disease?

By Honey B Wackx

What is Alzheimer’s disease? We hear about it on television more often than before and predictions are that much greater numbers of people in the future will be victims of this debilitating illness. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder. Its gradual effects on the brain are relentless and those afflicted with it will have their memory progressively destroyed.

Along with it, the capability to learn, make judgments, and communicate will also greatly deteriorate.

Alzheimer’s disease will eventually make it difficult for the person to even carry out normal daily tasks. Sometimes the person with Alzheimer’s will lose the ability to do virtually anything by themselves. Watching a family member seemingly “waste away” little by little is a very difficult circumstance to be in.

The person’s struggle to maintain some form of sanity despite the condition is often too much for many relatives to bear. Some cannot stand it and they distance themselves from the sufferer instead of giving support. This is unfortunate since then is when the support of the family is really needed.

It’s often difficult to have a clear warning signal because some of the symptoms exhibited by Alzheimer’s could be a part of normal behavior. Such symptoms may even be related to another ailment entirely. However when you see such signs being exhibited by someone near to you or someone that you know, you should never automatically rule out Alzheimer’s as a possible reason. Here are some basic warning signs for Alzheimer’s:

• A gradual loss of memory
• Difficulty performing simple everyday tasks
• Misplacing certain everyday items
• Problems with language or speech
• Increased confusion or disorientation
• Abnormal fear and suspicion
• Declining judgment
• Inability to perform complex mental tasks
• Noticeable behavioral changes

It is always better to know more about Alzheimer’s to better understand the condition. You never know if you might find yourself or a family member in this situation. Knowing the warning signs early can help you cope with the disease earlier where there may still be some chance of minimizing the damaging effects of Alzheimer’s. Knowing what to look for will not only help you but also anyone else you know who might also have the odds against them in developing this debilitating disease.

While memory is reasonable and is an expected symptom of aging, the type of memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer’s are significantly greater and are often accompanied or followed by other tell tale symptoms. People suffering this disease often have difficulty with general cognitive abilities such as thinking, communication, reasoning, comparing, and learning new skills.

Short-term memory is what Alzheimer’s disease usually affects first. Those with Alzheimer’s tend to forget family names and even how to perform simple daily tasks. However, long-term memory is somehow retained even with Alzheimer’s disease. Some patients may even retain the ability of remembering events from the past.

Another sign shown by patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease is the gradual loss of verbal communication skills. Instead of speaking up, sufferers will begin to communicate their feelings, preferences and needs through body language and facial expressions more frequently. Perception is another area that can be affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

As of the present there are no Alzheimer’s treatments that will totally cure, prevent, or reverse the disease or its gradual progression. What doctors can do is try to treat some of the symptoms such as loss of memory. The good news is that as new discoveries about the disease are being made, it may not be long before effective Alzheimer’s treatments will become available.

Consult with a qualified physician in order to help eliminate some symptoms that might look like true Alzheimer’s and to effectively distinguish between the many other forms of dementia, some of which are completely treatable.

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