Alzheimer’s Symptoms That You Need To Know

Alzheimer's symptoms leave sufferers lost, even in their own world

Every day in the headlines people are reading about Alzheimer’s Disease and the impact of this disorder and yet many are unaware of the Alzheimer’s symptoms to look out for. It is estimated that worldwide over 18 million people have been diagnosed with this disease and in the United States over 5 million individuals suffer from the effects of dementia , including Alzheimer’s. At the present time there is no cure for this disease and there is no specific cause that has been identified, although there are known Alzheimer’s symptoms that can be identified. However, many families know only too well the impact and devastation that Alzheimer’s can cause for both the patient and the family. This is a disorder that is irreversible and eventually leads to death. Most of the time Alzheimer’s stages progress to the point where the patient needs 24 hour care for protection, safety, and wellbeing. Although there are now some drugs in the market place that have helped to slow down the progression of the disease, the patient often ends up bed-ridden in the final stages. The importance of knowing the ten Alzheimer’s symptoms cannot therefore be over stated.

Significant Alzheimer’s symptoms according to the Alzheimer’s Association

This disease kills brain cells and most often affects the memory, language, and reasoning skills of the victim. There are some important Alzheimer’s symptoms that you should be aware of to protect your loved ones and to help you detect early signs of this problem. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are ten symptoms that you should learn. If your loved one shows any of these or a combination of these symptoms you should seek medical help right away. Although any of these Alzheimer’s symptoms may be an indication of the disease, you should seek medical expertise to be sure with a qualified diagnosis.

Examples of early signs of Alzheimers symptoms

The first of the Alzheimer’s symptoms to note is memory loss that begins to disrupt daily life. If your loved one forgets previously learned information such as dates, events, times, places, names, or common knowledge, this may be a sign of a problem. Second in the list of Alzheimer’s symptoms to watch for, is if your loved one cannot follow challenges to a logical conclusion. For example, if they cannot follow simple direction, steps, or work with simple numbers this is a definite sign of danger. Where this is the case, it is necessary to search out medical help right away in order to check out these are indeed Alzheimer’s symptoms.

True Alzheimer’s symptoms go beyond normal human failings

Third in the recognized list of Alzheimer’s symptom is failure to complete familiar tasks like driving somewhere, or following the rules of a favorite game or activity. The fourth symptom is confusion as to the current time, place, or location. This would need however, to be more prevalent than mere momentary loss of memory for the subject to be considered as exhibiting one of the Alzheimer’s Symptoms. The fifth symptom is having trouble understanding visual images or pictures and spatial relationships. This can be particularly hard to spot by casual observation. The sixth symptom is encountering problems with speaking and writing techniques when they have previously been quite articulate in all their communication. The seventh of the ten Alzheimer’s symptoms is misplacing items and not being able to retrace steps. Again this has to be more than an “oh, where did I put it?” type of momentary lapse, to be considered as one of the key Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Look for poor judgement, social withdrawal and possible mood swings

The final three Alzheimer’s Symptoms are as follows: The eighth symptom of Alzheimer’s disease is seen when the sufferer withdraws from social activities and avoids interaction with others. When this occurs, the spirit of your loved one may appear depressed or simply just fade away. This often includes them losing motivation to do things they use to be excited about. The ninth symptom is showing poor judgement about problems and what to do about them, particularly if they have been a decisive person in the past. Finally the tenth symptom to look out for is swings in mood and changes in personality of the potential Alzheimer’s Disease sufferer.

With any of these ten Alzheimer’s symptoms it is advisable to seek medical help and attention at the earliest opportunity. A cure may not yet be available, but awareness of issues can go some way to alleviate problems, so be vigilant and watch for those Alzheimer’s symptoms in your loved ones.

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