Alzheimer’s Disease – How To Identify The Signs & Symptoms?

Alzheimer’s disease, Is also sometimes simply known as Alzheimer’s, is a degenerative disease of the brain, and its early signs and symptoms are related to changes in memory that are subtle and difficult to notice at first but worsen over the months and years.

This disease is most common in the elderly, and the evolution of symptoms can be divided into three phases, which are mild, moderate and severe, and some early clinical signs are changes, such as difficulty finding words, not knowing whether to locate in time or where it is, the difficulty of making decisions and the lack of initiative, for example.

However, the symptoms of the different stages may mix, and the duration in each stage may vary from person to person. In addition, the disease can occur in young people, a rare situation, and faster progress, known as hereditary disease or early family of Alzheimer’s disease. Learn how to identify Alzheimer’s early.

1. Early Stage Of Alzheimer’s

In the initial stage, there may be symptoms changes, such as Memory is especially the most problems, remembering recent events, such as where to put the house keys, a person’s name, or a place where you have been, for example.

• Disorientation in time and space , struggling to find his way home or not knowing the day or season it is.
• Difficulty making simple decisions, how to plan what to cook or buy.
• Repeat the same information over and over again , or ask the same questions.
• Loss of will in carrying out daily activities.
• Loss of interest in the activities you used, such as sewing or calculating.
• Behavior change, in general, becoming more aggressive or anxious.
• Changing mood with moments of apathy, laughter, and crying in certain situations.

At this stage, the memory change happens in recent situations, and the old state memory remains normal, which makes it difficult to see what the Alzheimer’s signal may be.

So when these changes are perceived, it should not be associated with just normal aging and is led to go to the geriatrician or neurologist for comments and memory tests, which can identify more severe changes.

• If you suspect that someone close to you has this condition, answer the questions in our Alzheimer’s test.

2. Moderate Alzheimer’s Phase

Symptoms gradually begin to become more obvious and may occur, Learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s

• Difficulty cooking or cleaning the house, leaving the stove open, putting raw food on the table, or using the wrong tools to clean the house, for example.
• Inability to do personal hygiene or forget to clean, using the same clothes constantly, or walking dirty.
• Difficulty communicating, we do not remember words or saying stupid nonsense and showing little vocabulary.
• Difficulty reading and writing.
• Disorientation in familiar places, loss inside the house, urination in the trash, or confusion of rooms.
• Hallucinations, such as hearing and seeing things that do not exist.
• Behavior changes, becoming very unstable or excessively agitated.
• Always be very suspicious, especially of robberies.
• Sleep disorders, being able to change day to night.

At this stage, the elderly become dependent on a family to take care of, because they can no longer do the tasks of everyday life, due to all the difficulties and confusion. In addition, you may begin to have difficulty walking and sleep disorders.

3. Advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease

In the most severe phase, the previous symptoms are more intense and others appear, learn how to identify the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s for example.

• You don’t memorize any new information and I don’t remember the old information.
• Forget family relatives, friends, and places, not identify the name or recognize the face, Difficulty understanding what is going on around you.
• Urinary incontinence and stool; Difficulty swallowing food.
• Maybe suffocated or take too long to finish a meal.
• Misconduct, such as laughing or spitting on the floor
• Loss of the ability to make simple movements with arms and legs, such as food with a spoon; Difficulty walking, sitting, or standing, for example.

At this stage, the person may lie down or sit all day, and if nothing is done to stop him, the tendency is that he will become more and more fragile and limited. Thus, it may be necessary to use a wheelchair or even stay in bed, becoming dependent on other people to perform all tasks, such as bathing or changing diapers.

How to confirm whether it is Alzheimer’s disease?

To diagnose Alzheimer’s, you should consult a geriatrician or neurologist, who can: assess the person’s medical history and observe the signs and symptoms of the disease;

• Indicate the performance of examinations, such as MRI, CT scan, and blood tests.
• Perform memory and cognitive tests, such as the miniature state minital exam, the clock test, and the verbal fluency test.

These assessments may indicate the presence of a memory change and exclude other diseases that may also cause brain disorders, such as depression, stroke, hypothyroidism, HIV, syphilis, or other advanced degenerative brain diseases, for example.

If Alzheimer’s disease is confirmed, treatment will be indicated with medicines to limit the progression of the disease, medicine such as Donepezil, Galantamine, or Rivastigmine may be advised.

In addition, activities such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, physical activity and language therapy are done to help maintain independence and the ability to perform activities for as long as possible.