Fiesta days in November
The clinic will be closed:
Friday 1st – November – This is a national holiday
Friday 8th & Monday 11th November – Local Fiestas
Confusion…… it’s not always the first sign of dementia!
Confusion is a symptom which has many causes. We can all relate to having episodes of ‘confusion’ such as going upstairs only to find that we have no idea what we are doing up there or being unable to remember a word that we really should know or somebody’s name! However, true confusion that has a medical cause can be very distressing for the confused person themselves and those around this person.
Symptoms of confusion can vary from mild to severe and include:
- disorganised thoughts
- disorientation
- problems making decisions
- difficulty concentrating
- problems performing tasks
- unusual aggression
- inability to recognize familiar objects or people
Depending upon the cause, Confusion may develop suddenly or gradually over a long period of time. When an older person shows symptoms of confusion, family, friends and often the person themselves assume that the cause is dementia. The affected person will often resist visiting the Doctor for fear that dementia will be confirmed. Many people are unaware that confusion may have a simple treatable cause such as a urinary tract infection or vitamin B12 deficiency! Once treated, the person will return to his or her normal self again
Other causes include:
Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
Deficiencies such as B12, thiamine, niacin, Vitamin C
Infections including urine and chest infections
Low blood sugar levels
Medications
Hypothermia
Hypoxia (low levels of oxygen )
Sleep deprivation
Fever
Illness in the elderly
Illness combined with neurological disease
Seizures
Head injury
Concussion
Alcohol excess
Brain tumours
If you are concerned about a person who seems confused or even concerned about yourself, seek help promptly from your Family Doctor.
We are currently seeking testimonials that patients would be happy to be
published on our website
If you have been pleased with the service we have provided at the Family Medical Centre and would be happy to recommend us to
others, we would very much appreciate it if you could take the time to write a short testimonial.
If you are willing to do this please either pass a few lines into reception or send by e-mail to:
info@albirfamilymedicalcentre.com
Testimonials can be published with either full names or just initials and area of residence if patients prefer.
With appreciation,
Dawn Vanessa & Jane
The Family Medical Centre
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