Huntington's disease is a inherited, degenerative disease that attacks the nerve cells in the brain. The patient usually experience mental deterioration, uncontrolled movements and emotional disturbances.It is very rare for children to have the disease since it usually develops in middle age people. The younger the patient is the more severe the symptoms become. At this time, there isn't a cure for Huntington's disease. Although there are medications and treatments available, they can't completely stop the mental deterioration that is caused by the disease.Since there isn't a cure, this articles gives some insight on things that can be done to help a patient with the disease.
Instructions
1. Pay attention to signs and symptoms. This is especially important is someone in the family has already been diagnosed and/or died from the disease. It is very rare to develop the disease without a family history of it. The early signs are personality changes and a decrease in cognitive abilities. The patient may become angry, irritable or depressed. Remembering valuable information, learning new information, difficulty with decision making and answering questions can also be seen as signs.
2. Seek medical treatment. If you that you are risk of getting the disease before any signs appear, you should regularily check with your doctor. After signs are present, you will want to go in for screening and diagnosis. To detect changes in the brain's structure, a CT or MRI scan will be done. Also, a blood test can determine if the defective gene is present.
3. Educate loved ones. They will need to know what the disease is, what it will do to your body and how they can cope with it.
4. Control the symptoms. There isn't anything that will reverse or prevent Huntington's disease, but there are certain things that can control the symptoms. Medications such as tranquilizers can help control the uncontrolled movements and violent outbursts. Prozac, Zoloft or Aventyl can help with the depression while lithium medications help with emotional mood swings.
5. Get speech therapy. Since Huntington's disease may affect the patient's ability to verbally express complete thoughts, speech therapy may be helpful.
6. Seek physical and occupational therapy. Occupational therapy helps with making your home environment more safe and viable when dealing with memory problems. It also helps when maintaining eating, dressing and hygiene duties become more challenging.
7. Perform self-help remedies. Exercise daily. Eat properly nutritional foods and drink plenty of liquids. Take care of your body.
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