Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease: What Is the Difference?

1. Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease: What Is the Difference?

2. The words Dementia and Alzheimer’s are used synonymously more often than they should be. The masses are highly confused when they are informed that one is different from another. There is a need to spread awareness regarding the differentiation between the two as it would be much easier for the families who are coping with such a disease to comprehend what they are actually dealing with. It is also necessary for the doctors and medical staff to bee able to correctly diagnose the disease a patient is suffering from and provide them with the right treatment course and medication. Knowing the type of ailment you suffer from can help you to gain the proper support specified and targeted for patients with your disease by hiring dementia and Alzheimer’s specialists. For example, if the medical specialist is sure you are suffering from Alzheimer’s you can do the research about it and enroll yourself for the ongoing clinical trials for the same.

3. Alzheimer’s is a subset of dementia The most significant difference between the two diseases is that there are several different types of dementia categorized on the basis of their causes. One of the types of dementia under this vast umbrella is caused due to Alzheimer’s. According to the statistics, Alzheimer’s is a major causative factor in approximately sixty to eighty percent of the total dementia cases that are reported. This is a particularly high number and provides a probable reason for the confusion between the two diseases. It is best for the patient as well as the loved ones to learn about the measures to be taken for each respective disease i.e proofing their houses according to the stages of dementia or Alzheimer’s and discussing with the physician about their options like moving into a nursing home or getting help from dementia and Alzheimer’s specialists who are train to provide in-house care.

4. Some types of dementia are reversible but Alzheimer’s is irreversible As mentioned before dementia is categorized in a broad spectrum and has several different types. While the types of dementia caused due to cognitive impairment or a degenerative brain disease like in the case of Alzheimer’s and Lew body are irreversible, there are some other variations that are quite reversible with appropriate treatment and guidance. According to Alzheimer’s Society Canada, some of the common causes of reversible dementia are Vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, heart disease, depression, and anticholinergic medications. Alzheimer’s, on the other hand, is a progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys the patient’s memory and thinking skills. It is irreversible and eventually renders the brain dysfunctional and incapable of carrying out the simplest of tasks of the routine life.

5. Dementia has a wide range of symptoms that vary in each patient An individual is diagnosed to have dementia if they suffer from more than one kind of cognitive impairment and loss of function. Types of dementia other than Alzheimer’s are vascular dementia that causes a loss of memory and thinking due to deficiency or lack of oxygen supplied to the nerve cell. This leads to the death of the nerve cells and impairment in the brain. Another kind of symptom is having visual hallucinations and movement disorders that are caused due to Lewy body dementia. In this kind of ailment, the nerve cells of the patient degenerate due to the formation of Lew bodies in their brain. Whereas all patients suffering from Alzheimer’s have similar symptoms such as memory loss, difficulty in problem-solving and confusion with time zones or places.

6. Though a bit different, both the diseases can be quite taxing When diagnosed with either dementia or Alzheimer’s it can be very exhausting to keep up with all the follow-ups, treatment plans and managing the patient’s situation. Conducting thorough research about the ailment and taking all the necessary precautions like hiring dementia and Alzheimer’s specialists and proofing the house and surroundings of the patient to avoid any accidents. Empathizing with them is the measure you can take in order for them to have a shot at a normal life.

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