Alzheimer’s is a kind of dementia which is a degenerative disease of the brain. It is slow to recognize as it grows gradually with age but also sometimes goes unnoticed in some cases. Since the disease has no immediate symptoms the actual implications reflect gradually with time or until significant damage is done.
The exact culprit of the disease is yet unknown; but age, gender and family history mostly point out to the speculations of having Alzheimer’s. Mostly older people tend to suffer from Alzheimer’s and medically it is known that the occurrence of Alzheimer’s doubles every five years after the age of 65. According to the data it is estimated that women are twice more likely to develop Alzheimer’s due to the hormonal changes that occur during menopause and the fact that women live a longer life than men. Mostly certain diseases like diabetes and obesity, hypertension add up in increasing the chances for dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Early Signs of Alzheimer’s starts with small things like the person forgetting bits and pieces of information here and there. For example, forgetting birthdays or misplacing things. Alzheimer occurs when the best-amyloid collects between nerve cells forming plaque, tau fibers that collects in the brain of the patient which in turn disturbs the communication between the brain cells amongst themselves leading to a malfunction in the brain.
A patient suffering from the disease shows some common traits of keep repeating himself, getting lost on familiar routes, inability in taking financial decisions, inability in recognizing familiar faces, using simple tools and more. The patient also suffers from changes in personality and behavior where he reflects the loss of empathy, unexpected mood swings and lack of interest and motivation.
Alzheimer’s is diagnosed only after inputs from the family members who can easily point out the intensity of the problem and the symptoms. Although there has been progressed in research, there is no treatment for the disease. Medication only helps in reducing the symptoms and after the patient brings in a healthy lifestyle change. Alzheimer’s is quite an exhausting disease, both physically and mentally. It especially stresses out caretakers.
If you or your loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s or are showing symptoms you must consult a doctor now! With the right treatment plan, it is possible to live a fairly normal life.