Dementia is a broad term. It consists of lots of mental health and related issues. It can lead to memory loss, memory attention, loss of logical reasoning, and other mental abilities. These changes often interfere with the social, communication, and occupational functioning of a person. Many things may contribute to mental health issues. If you are suffering from any of the underlying symptoms, you can look for doctors at CK Birla Hospital. The doctors, staff, and the nurses of the hospital are trained to provide complete care to their patients. The doctors let you diagnose the underlying symptoms of mental health.
Is Dementia a disease?
Dementia happens when the part of the brain that associates memory and decision-making capability gets damaged. The brain suffers disease or damage related to memory, learning capability, and the capability of remembering something. It can be compared with neurocognitive disorder. However, Dementia is not a disease. It consists of a group of symptoms that cause the person to be vulnerable to other conditions. About 5-10% of people above the age of 60 suffer the symptoms of Dementia. The same is the case for people who are in their 80s or 70s. Between 60-80% of people with dementia suffer from Alzheimer’s. There are many cases of Alzheimer’s above the age of 50. The symptoms of Dementia can be improved. But many other medical conditions related to dementia are not curable.
What Are the Different Stages of Dementia?
Stage 1- No Cognitive Decline
At this stage of Dementia, the patient does not show any sign of change in mental health. However, certain imaging techniques like CT scans of the brain can be used to show some changes.
Stage 2- Very Mild Cognitive Decline
- It starts with the forgetting of words, spelling, and misplacing of objects. However, these conditions may go unnoticed by the people.
- It should be considered that people at this stage of life often suffer such symptoms because of the age factor.
Stage 3- Mild Cognitive Decline
- At this stage, the patient may suffer from short-term memory loss. They may forget the names and the things they have just talked about.
- It becomes difficult to make plans and organize things.
- They may also start losing things by misplacing them and forgetting them.
Stage 4- Moderate Cognitive Decline
- The patient may start losing interest in certain things. They may have a loss of interest that might be a case of excitement for others. This makes them avoid social events, meetings, and connections with random people.
- Doing calculations, working on managing expenses and financial bills can become difficult.
- They may forget the things related to date, day, or time. Their brain functioning becomes disoriented.
- At this stage, the signs of memory loss become clear to everyone.
- The clinical diagnosis of Dementia is tested at this stage.
Stage 5- Moderately severe cognitive decline
- At this stage of Dementia, the patient may suffer major memory losses. They may start forgetting their phone or even phone numbers.
- They may also forget the way to bathe or choose and wear clothes. Small things that may be a usual part of human habits, can interfere with their daily routine.
Stage 6- Severe cognitive decline
- The patient’s memory loss becomes the major concern at this stage. They may start forgetting names. They may also have mistakes in recognizing someone with their identity.
- There can be severe confusion at this stage along with anxiety.
- The patient may also have difficulty in using the bathroom or remembering the bathroom habits.
Stage 7- Very severe cognitive decline
- This is the final stage of Dementia
- At this stage, the patient becomes completely dependent on others for basic activities. Walking, drinking, bathing, sitting and other things may interfere with their body posture. They may start forgetting to do such things.
- There also occurs the loss of bowel and bladder control.
- Their speaking ability may also get hindered. They may speak too little or may also struggle with the words.
How can the diagnosis of Dementia be carried out?
There is no single test to determine whether the person is suffering from dementia. The diagnosis is based on the range of medical tests and the patient’s history. If you exhibit these symptoms, your doctor may perform certain tests like:
- a physical exam
- a neurological exam
- a mental status tests
- other laboratory tests
It should be noted that memory loss and confusion may occur at any stage of life. It is not likely to state that you are suffering from Dementia. These symptoms can also be because of drug interactions and thyroid problems.
How can the symptoms of dementia be prevented?
In certain cases, factors like genes and age cause the severe condition of Dementia. These factors are non-negotiable. Researchers suggest that patients with Dementia can follow a healthy lifestyle. This can further lower the risk of getting prone to its symptoms. The patients suffering from dementia can have the following healthy practices:
- Following a healthy diet
- Avoiding smoking
- Being physically active
- Doing mental activities such as playing chess, and solving crosswords
Conclusion – Stage of Dementia
CK Birla Hospital believes in transforming the provisions and the healthcare practices. Be it dementia, its severe symptoms, or any other underlying disorder or disease, CK Birla hospital serves you the best diagnoses and clinical services. The hospital provides exceptional healthcare facilities that further match the standard of the industry. With its different excellence centers and clinical branches, CK Birla Hospital strives to provide complete medical facilities.