Dementia is often associated with memory loss and confusion. While these are indeed common symptoms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, there are other subtle signs that are easily overlooked, leading to delays in diagnosis and care.
Given how widespread dementia is in the United States, it’s critical to be aware of the lesser-known signs of dementia and to know when to consult your doctor for dementia screening.
While it’s normal to occasionally forget a word, a persistent pattern of speech difficulties may indicate the early stages of dementia. Dr. Arif Dalvi, neurologist and director of the Movement Disorders Program at Delray Medical Center, explains it this way: huffington post Problems with self-expression, incorrect sentence structure, or difficulty finding words may precede memory loss.
Such issues should not be dismissed too quickly. Changes in spatial skills and orientation can also be early signs of dementia. Dr. Dalvey noted that people may have difficulty navigating previously familiar routes, or require GPS assistance to complete a journey they were once familiar with.
In addition to these lesser-known symptoms, there are other factors to be aware of. Difficulty completing familiar tasks, heightened sensitivity to noise and sense of taste Changes in smell and smell can both be potential indicators of dementia. , pointed out.
Unexplained sudden changes in personality or mood should be cause for concern, Dr. Dalvey stressed.
Alzheimer’s disease remains the most common form of dementia, affecting approximately 5.8 million people in the United States. That includes 5.6 million people aged 65 and over and about 200,000 people under the age of 65 with dementia, according to the World Health Organization. CDC (CDC).
By recognizing these subtle signs and knowing when to seek medical evaluation, individuals and their loved ones can take proactive steps to detect and appropriately manage dementia-related illnesses early, experts say.
Published by Medicaldaily.com