When an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Is Reached

Coming to the conclusion that a loved one may be facing Alzheimer’s disease is an upsetting and confusing scenario. Once you begin noticing what you think might be symptoms of the disease, however, you’ll want to seek a doctor’s opinion right away. There are other situations that can look like Alzheimer’s, so it’s important to get a medical diagnosis before jumping to conclusions. Additionally, most of the current treatments have been shown to work best the earlier in the process they can be started.

Testing for an Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

No single test can definitively offer an Alzheimer’s diagnosis, so you’ll expect your doctor to order several laboratory tests along with other types of assessments to make an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Your doctor will want to rule out other possible causes; these can be other diseases, reactions to current medications, or other psychological causes. Physicians can be up to ninety percent sure of a correct Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but the only way to be 100 percent sure is after the person’s death when an autopsy can be performed.

Types of Testing

There are several kinds of testing that your doctor will most likely want to do, and these evaluations cannot be performed all in one day. These are the kinds of tests you can expect when seeking an Alzheimer’s diagnosis:

A complete medical history: Using a questionnaire, the doctor will gather important information about your past medical problems, your family history, and any current problem areas.

A complete physical exam: Blood pressure, hearing, eyesight, heart rate will all be tested during this evaluation.

Standard lab tests: Blood tests, urinalysis, thyroid and liver tests, blood count, glucose levels, and possibly a depression screening might all be ordered.

Neuropsychological tests: There are specific tests that doctors use to evaluate things like coordination, abstract thinking, memory skill, and problem solving. All of these help physicians reach an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Brain-imaging scans: The doctor might order an MRI or a CT scan. He’ll want to rule out the possibility of brain tumors or blood clots that could be causing suspicious symptoms.


The Right Type of Doctor

While most people start with their primary family doctor to determine what’s going on, your physician might want to refer you to a specialist who can better make an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Most likely this will be a neurologist, or it could be a geriatric psychiatrist.

On your own, you can also look into medical facilities in your area that provide services and programs for Alzheimer’s. The most important thing is to seek help as early as possible when you notice unusual symptoms or behavior in yourself or a loved one. Being proactive is a positive step you can take to meet the challenges of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis head-on.