Alzheimer Disease They'd Like To ForgetAlzheimer's disease usually develops slowly and can be difficult to diagnosis. While people who get this terrible disease might be able to understand that something is not quite right, they want to avoid letting others know that they having any problems. Even they realize the scope of the problem and they think that whatever is happening will gradually go away. This is, unfortunately, the norm for most people who are just starting to get the first symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. They do not want to bother anyone with what seems insignificant to them or to be viewed as 'goofy' or 'strange'. One of the first times that the medical profession heard about Alzheimer's disease was back in 1906. It was then that a doctor told a group of other medical professional about a person who had a severe brain disorder. When the person died an autopsy was performed, this was the first time that the doctor had seen the plaques and tangles that are now considered to be the major characteristics of the disease.
For many people just hearing the words Alzheimer's disease can cause fear and dread. They know that the disease causes major deterioration in the brain, but they do not truly understand all of the major problems that they will encounter as their disease progresses. Either out of fear of not truly understanding what will happen to them when it comes to Alzheimer's disease or because they do not want other people to worry, many people will ignore the symptoms and try to keep living their daily lives as if nothing was wrong. By the time the Alzheimer's disease has progressed to a point where a family member or doctor recognizes the signs they will probably be able to think back and to see that the problem has been going on for several years. They will wonder how they missed noticing that their family member was having a problem. Being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease is not the end of the world. A person can have many very good and productive years even after being diagnosed. Everything will depend upon when they diagnosed and how much damage, if any, was already done. There have been advances in medicine that now allow doctors to prescribe different medications that might be able to help slow down the progress of the disease. Alzheimer's disease will be conquered someday. The researchers will find either a cure or ways that the disease can be controlled or even stopped before damage is done. Then, maybe it will be possible for this disease to be eradicated completely, never to be heard of again. Now, that is something that we all like to forget-what Alzheimer's disease was! |