Lifestyle
A British doctor has shared the warning signs of dementia, a disease that affects more than 55 million people worldwide.
Obvious symptoms of dementia include memory loss, but Dr. Ahmed Kundakar said. Explain Difficulty swallowing can be an early symptom of the disease, according to an interview published on Saturday.
In fact, the abnormal symptom is also known as dysphagia It was mentioned in a 2008 study Published in the National Library of Medicine.
Dysphagia “is caused by damage to brain regions responsible for movement and coordination, including those that control the swallowing response,” Kundakar told the paper.
“People living with dementia may experience muscle weakness, coordination problems and decreased sensation in the throat, which can lead to difficulty swallowing,” he added.
The main dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, which is more common in the elderly and affects memory and behavior.
More than 6 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease — by 2023, 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older will be living with the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Dr. Kundakar shares that symptoms of dysphagia include excessive chewing and the need to hold food in the mouth while eating. This leads to weight loss, dehydration and malnutrition.
NHS East Sussex Healthcare Trust Emphasizing how common it is for people with dementia to have difficulty eating and drinking, he says the symptoms of dysphagia are widespread and should not be ignored.
“There are risks associated with dysphagia including aspiration (food going down the wrong way into the lungs), choking, malnutrition and reduced quality of life,” the NHS said.