November is National Alzheimer's Disease Month, with 4 million Americans suffering from the illness. A brain examination is the only way physicians can make the most accurate Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis, so people shouldn't assume the worst if they notice symptoms, Turney said. So, it's important to seek help from a doctor as soon as you notice memory loss or strange behavior. If the memory loss is due to high blood pressure, for example, a doctor can treat that problem and possibly prevent future memory loss, Turney said. If other medical problems are ruled out, doctors may give memory or neurological tests that may eventually lead to an Alzheimer's disease diagnosis.
Early diagnosis is best because the disease is progressive.
During the early stage, people may forget common things or misplace small items. In the middle stage, the memory loss becomes more noticeable and the person has problems performing daily tasks such as cooking, dressing or bathing. This also is the stage where many Alzheimer's sufferers begin to wander off and fail to recognize friends and relatives. When people reach the late, or final, Alzheimer's stage, they may lose all memory functions, can't carry on conversation and are unable to walk or chew or care for themselves. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, but medications can help prevent further memory loss if the disease is detected early, Turney said.