Dementia Physical Therapy Charleston, SC

+ What is Dementia?

Dementia is a general term for several conditions which describe impairment of cognitive impairment functions. Although dementia is more often seen in older adults, it is not considered a normal part of the aging process. You can live well into your nineties and older without showing any signs of cognitive impairment.

+ Signs and Symptoms of Dementia

An abnormal loss of nerve cells in the brain, known as neurons, impairs cognitive function and leads to dementia. This condition results in problems with:

• Memory

• Expressing your thoughts

• Maintaining attention

• Rational thought and making decisions

• Keeping track of time

Some of the signs that may indicate dementia include:

• Memory difficulties that impact daily activities

• Getting lost in a familiar place

• Putting things in inappropriate places

• Forgetting the day of the week

• Severe mood changes

• Loss of interest in family, friends, and everyday activities

• Loss of balance

• Problems with movement

+ Types of Dementia

Dementia is a progressive and irreversible loss of vital nerve connections and cells in the brain. There are multiple forms of dementia, including these most common forms:

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Lewy body dementia

• Vascular dementia

• Frontal temporal dementia

• Mixed dementia

+ Risk Factors for Dementia

The risk for dementia is affected by various factors, such as:

• Age. Most cases of dementia affect people over 65 years of age. Age is the most substantialrisk factor for developing dementia.

• Genetics. Having family members with dementia increases your risk. However, you may not have the specific mutation and will never develop symptoms.

• Smoking. Recent studies show that smoking increases your risk of cognitive impairment and dementia.

• Alcohol. Studies also reveal that drinking large quantities of alcohol increases your risk of dementia.

• High cholesterol. Elevated LDL levels may significantly place you at greater risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Diabetes. This chronic disease increases your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

+ Diagnosis of Dementia

Diagnosis of dementia typically begins with a physical exam and tests to rule out a treatable conditioncausing the symptoms. Some of these conditions include:

• Thyroid conditions

• Immune disorders

• Infections

• Nutritional deficiencies

• Tumors

• Medication side effects

After ruling out other underlying conditions, a diagnosis of dementia is pursued by taking a thorough medical and family history that may offer clues about dementia risk. Several tests can help shed light on the presence of dementia, such as:

• Neurological tests

• CT scans

• MRI imaging

• PET scan

• Genetic tests

• Blood tests

+ Prevention of Dementia

Developing prevention strategies is complicated because the exact causes of dementia are not known. However, some lifestyle choices may play a role in prevention. These include:

• Avoid smoking

• Exercise regularly

• Eat a healthy plant-based diet

• Control your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar

• Read and engage in other mental activities

+ How Can Occupational Therapy Help with Dementia?

At Coastal Movement Specialists, we help you perform your daily tasks and hobbies without pain and distress. We engage with our clients in a highly personalized way each time we have a visit. We work with our clients and family members using several types of treatment, equipment, and technology to help make your daily life easier and more rewarding. We provide the necessary services to help our clients overcome the mental and physical challenges posed by dementia.