As you or your loved ones get older, you may start to wonder if you’re noticing signs of dementia. It may feel difficult to decipher between the normal aging process and concerning symptoms. Sangeeta Shah, MD, a neurologist at MercyOne Waterloo Neurology shares her knowledge about dementia and its common symptoms.
What is dementia?
Dementia is a medical term for memory loss that is irreversible and impacts your everyday life activities. Dementia can be caused by a variety of conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, senile dementia, vascular dementia or other underlying disorders.
What are the first symptoms of dementia?
The first signs of dementia are usually subtle, and you may notice them before your loved ones. Usually, the early symptoms of dementia include:
- forgetting names
- misplacing things
- difficulty finding the right words to say
- difficulty completing complex tasks
- increased anxiety
- change in personality
What are the general symptoms of dementia?
“Symptoms are variable depending on the severity of the dementia,” Dr. Shah said.
More severe forms of dementia could show as having difficulties completing hygiene tasks like bathing or not being able to recognize family members.
With advanced dementia, you may notice:
- a struggle with carrying out a full conversation and communicating
- loss of control with the bladder
- balance issues
- issues recognizing family members.
- behavioral symptoms like hallucination or paranoid behavior
- struggles with personal hygiene and walking
How is dementia diagnosed?
There are multiple ways that doctors diagnose dementia in patients. The process starts with a brief cognitive evaluation on the patient like the Mini-Mental Status Examination or the Montreal cognitive assessment. Several tests and scans are done to rule out health conditions like a brain tumor or thyroid issues. A final diagnosis is made with a PET scan.
If you believe you or a loved one are experiencing symptoms of dementia, make an appointment with the MercyOne neurologists near you.
