HEALTH & WELLNESS by Peter Semchism Lyme Disease (Tick Bites) The Facts Sponsored by Greenhills Pharmacy by Peter Semchism HEALTH & WELLNESS by Peter Semchism
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To advertise here, please contact Gloria@villagerpublications.com Treatment of dementia may depend on the specific cause. Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease usually involves treating the declining memory and gradually worsening behavioural symptoms with a range of medications increasing irritability, anxiety, depression, confusion, and restlessness increasing communication and language difficulties (forgetting words or substituting incorrect words) changes in personality, behaviour, or mood decreasing ability to focus and pay attention inability to plan and carry out tasks that require multiple steps (e.g. pay - ing bills). To be diagnosed with dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to affect a person’s independence and their ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the cause. For example, people with Lewy body dementia often have long-lasting visual hallu- cinations. Some forms of dementia also tend to affect people younger than others and progress faster. Treatment and Prevention • Avoid wearing sandals and open-toed shoes. Wear shoes that cover the entire foot, and cover as much of your body with clothing as is practical. • Wear light-coloured clothes to make it easy to spot ticks “hitching a ride” on you. Dementia Could Happen to Anyone… Because Everyone Ages. The Facts Dementia Could Happen to Anyone… Because Everyone Ages. The Facts Lyme disease is an illness caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of an infected tick. It is the most common tick-borne infection in Canada. Ticks become infected by the bacterium when they feed on infected animals. The bacterium can be passed to humans when they get bitten by an infected tick. You may come into contact with a tick simply by brushing against vegetation. The risk of contact increases between early spring and late fall. The tick bite does not hurt or sting; you probably won’t notice it. Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, and the chance of getting Lyme disease from an infected tick is greatly reduced by removing ticks within 24 to 36 hours of attachment. Ticks are about the size of a sesame seed (3 mm to 5 mm in length), red and brown in colour, and feed on blood. As the tick feeds on blood, its body can swell up to eight times its original size. Symptoms of Lyme disease can appear as early as three days and as late as 30 days after a tick bite. Signs/symptoms typically associated with Lyme Disease: • Presence of (5 to 60 cm diameter) rash in a “bullseye” ring pattern appearing three to thirty days post-exposure • Flu-like symptoms (e.g. fever, chills, tiredness, headache) • Stinging sensation Prevention Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term that describes a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes difficult. Dementia can affect your memory, language skills and decision-making ability; impair your judgment and make you feel disoriented; and it may also affect your personality. Dementia can be caused by many diseases that affect the brain. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Others in- clude vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal and mixed dementia. Types of dementia differ based on underlying causes and can affect specific symptoms and how it progresses. Symptoms and Complications Many of us often experience forgetfulness. We may forget where we put the car keys or repeat the same story to a friend or family member. These behaviours are usually caused by the information overload of our busy, stressful lives – it doesn’t mean that we’re developing dementia. As people age, they may experience memory changes such as slowing of information processing. This type of change is normal and doesn’t interfere with day-to-day functioning. By contrast, dementia is disabling and not a normal part of aging. Although dementia often presents itself differently from person to per- son, common symptoms include: gradual loss of memory of recent events and lack of ability to learn new things increasing tendency to repeat oneself, misplacing objects, becoming confused and lost in familiar places slow disintegration of judgment and reasoning abilities Peter Semchism To advertise here please contact Gloria@VillagerPublications.com Dementia is not a specific disease, but a general term that describes a gradual decline of mental ability that affects your intellectual and social skills to the point where daily life becomes difficult. Dementia can affect your memory, language skills and decision-making ability; impair your judgment and make you feel disoriented; and it may also affect your personality. Dementia can be caused by many diseases that affect the brain. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. Others in- clude vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal and mixed dementia. Types of dementia differ based on underlying causes and can affect specific symptoms and how it progresses. Symptoms and Complications Many of us often experience forgetfulness. We may forget where we put the car keys or repeat the same story to a friend or family member. These behaviours are usually caused by the information overload of our busy, stressful lives – it doesn’t mean that we’re developing dementia. As people age, they may experience memory changes such as slowing of information processing. This type of change is normal and doesn’t interfere with day-to-day functioning. By contrast, dementia is disabling and not a normal part of aging. Although dementia often presents itself differently from person to per- son, common symptoms include: gradual loss of memory of recent events and lack of ability to learn new things increasing tendency to repeat oneself, misplacing objects, becoming confused and lost in familiar places slow disintegration of judgment and reasoning abilities increasing irritability, anxiety, depression, confusion, and restlessness increasing communication and language difficulties (forgetting words or substituting incorrect words) changes in personality, behaviour, or mood decreasing ability to focus and pay attention inability to plan and carry out tasks that require multiple steps (e.g. pay - ing bills). To be diagnosed with dementia, the symptoms must be severe enough to affect a person’s independence and their ability to perform everyday activities. Symptoms of dementia can vary depending on the cause. For example, people with Lewy body dementia often have long-lasting visual hallu- cinations. Some forms of dementia also tend to affect people younger than others and progress faster. Treatment and Prevention Permethrin sprayed on clothing kills ticks, and commercial sprays are readily available. Other tick repellants include DEET and picaridin. Once you get back indoors, inspect yourself carefully for ticks. If you spend several days outdoors in areas that might contain ticks, inspect yourself daily. Check your skin carefully for ticks, and ask someone to check your scalp for ticks. If a tick has already latched on to you, don’t panic. Ticks are less likely to transmit the infection if they’ve been attached for less than one day. This is because they need to feed for 24 hours to help the bacteria grow inside their own bodies to the point where it can cause infection. The following are some other things you can do: • Stay in the middle of hiking trails and try not to brush against grasses or leaves. Treatment of dementia may depend on the specific cause. Treatment of Alzheimer’s disease usually involves treating the declining memory and gradually worsening behavioural symptoms with a range of medications (which may also be used in other forms of dementia), including: cognitive enhancing agents tranquilizers antidepressants antianxiety medications anticonvulsants You can help prevent Lyme disease if you know what to look for. The tick digs its mouth into the skin and feeds for several days before dropping off. The bite causes no local symptoms. If you spend time in the woods, you should wear long pants, socks, a hat, and a long-sleeved shirt to reduce the chances of tick bites. As an extra precaution, tuck your pants into your socks or put tape around the area where your pants and socks meet. Peter Semchism • Spray your clothes and exposed skin (except your face) with an insect repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, or permethrin. • Check your pets for ticks on a regular basis.
There is no treatment that can “cure” Alzheimer’s disease, nor are there medication that can halt or reverse the brain damage caused by it. How- ever, there are medications that can relieve symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. Medications such as donepezil*, riv- astigmine, and galantamine may be used to slow down memory loss. Prevention of stroke is important for vascular dementia. If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), or have had a stroke, you should seek continued treatment for these conditions to prevent future strokes. The key to caring for and helping people with dementia is to focus on the many activities the person can still do safely. Encourage a person with dementia to continue daily routines and maintain social relationships as much as possible. Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle through exer- cise, proper nutrition, and fluid intake. Special diets and supplements are generally unnecessary. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the following may be help- ful: reminders: Provide written lists of things to do including times, places, and phone numbers to help the person complete the task. structure and stability: Minimize undue noise and disturbances to re- duce anxiety. establish routines: Daily and bedtime routines can reduce disorientation and anxiety. speaking slowly and calmly: Present one thought or instruction at a time. information card: Reduce the risk of wandering and getting lost by pro- viding a pocket card with the person’s name, address, and phone num- ber. safety: Make your home environment as safe as possible by keeping furniture in the same place, removing clutter, installing locks on medi- cine cabinets, and setting the water heater at a low temperature to avoid scalding. driving: Don’t allow someone with dementia to drive a vehicle. Drive them or arrange for rides wherever they need to go. Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult. It requires under - standing, patience, and compassion. Joining an Alzheimer’s disease caregiver’s support group in your community may be helpful. Be prepared for the eventuality that your loved one’s condition will dete- riorate over time and additional full-time personal care may be needed. In some situations, placement in a nursing home is in the best interests of the individual and their family. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy in Lambeth. For people who require treatment for more severe infections associated with Lyme disease (such as people with neurological or cardiac symptoms), the doctor usually prescribes an intravenous (given through the vein) antibiotic. For persistent infections, a longer course of treatment may be necessary. Lyme disease is easier to treat when treatment is started earlier in the disease. Always keep in mind that we are here for you and your needs. Please feel free to give us a call. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your health or medications you can reach us at 519-652-9066. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy in Lambeth. Tick removal To remove a tick from the skin, use tweezers to hold the tick by the head as close to the skin as possible and pull slowly but firmly. Avoid twisting or crushing the tick when you are removing it. Do not squeeze the tick’s body, as this may speed up infection. After you’ve carefully removed the tick, cleanse the area with an antiseptic (e.g., alcohol) or mild soap and water. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. You should also have tick bites examined by a doctor, especially if you develop a rash or experience flu-like symptoms. If possible, try to save the tick by placing it in a small vial or zip-lock bag. Treatment For people who require treat- ment for a mild infection asso- ciated with Lyme disease, a physician usually prescribes an oral antibiotic for two to four weeks to cure the infection. People with swollen joints may take nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen.
Lambeth Villager • September 2024 • Page 11 driving: Don’t allow someone with dementia to drive a them or arrange for rides wherever they need to go. Caring for someone with dementia can be difficult. It r standing, patience, and compassion. Joining an Alzhe caregiver’s support group in your community may be hel Be prepared for the eventuality that your loved one’s con riorate over time and additional full-time personal care m In some situations, placement in a nursing home is in the of the individual and their family. Peter Semchism is a Pharmacist at Greenhills Pharmacy information card: Reduce the risk of wandering and getti viding a pocket card with the person’s name, address, an ber. safety: Make your home environment as safe as possib furniture in the same place, removing clutter, installing l cine cabinets, and setting the water heater at a low tempe scalding. There is no treatment that can “cure” Alzheimer’s disease medication that can halt or reverse the brain damage cau ever, there are medications that can relieve symptoms a the progression of the disease. Medications such as d astigmine, and galantamine may be used to slow down m Prevention of stroke is important for vascular dementia. If blood pressure or cholesterol, transient ischemic attacks had a stroke, you should seek continued treatment for th to prevent future strokes. The key to caring for and helping people with dementia is many activities the person can still do safely. Encourage dementia to continue daily routines and maintain social r much as possible. Help them maintain a healthy lifestyle cise, proper nutrition, and fluid intake. Special diets and are generally unnecessary. If you are caring for someone with dementia, the followin ful: reminders: Provide written lists of things to do including and phone numbers to help the person complete the tas structure and stability: Minimize undue noise and distu duce anxiety. establish routines: Daily and bedtime routines can reduce and anxiety. speaking slowly and calmly: Present one thought or in time. Issue 45 June 2020 Lambeth Villager Page 7
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