What is major neurocognitive disorder/ senile dementia?

major neurocognitive disorder/ senile dementia is one of the organic degenerated syndromes of brain, which occurs in old ages. The declined intelligence can induce the obstruction of patients’ social relationship and career. The cause of this is still unknown, but it can be related to genetic factors, blood pressure, disease, and medication. The characteristic of this disease is that the central brain tissue will go on degeneration and atrophy. In addition, some social, mental, and environmental factors, such as retirement, joblessness, the death of the spouse will also facilitate senile dementia.

Symptoms

1. Impairment of cognitive function: memory impairment, forgetfulness, regression of judgment, orientation, language, and calculation ability.
2. Psychotic symptoms: suspicion, delusion, hallucination, and disturbance may be seen in some serious cases.
3. Behavior problem: regression of daily life activity ability, or personality withdrawal.

Health protection and nursing

1. Provide proper care according to the degree of degeneration. For example, use a diaper or arrange training programs for urinary incontinence.
2. For patients who has tendency to run around and get lost, restrict their environment for activities or have them wear a name tag.
3. Provide patients a bright, colorful, and vivid environment to stimulate their sense of perception.
4. Encourage exercises such as gymnastics, jogging, walking fast, swimming, and Chinese shadow boxing. (Tai-chi)
5. Spend more time with lonely, withdrawn, self-abased, depressive, or suspicious patients to give them a sense of security.
6. Urge patients to sleep less during the day and participate day time activities and avoid stimulating beverage like coffee.
7. Use simple sentences to communicate with patients, avoid abstract and difficult idioms, and do not talk to them as if they were children.
8. Regulate patients’ daily schedule like fixed schedule for three meals, wake-up time, medicine, and exercises. Remind them of precise time and location for them to know their environment better.

How to prevent senile dementia with Chinese medicine?

Have patients :

1. Stay optimistic to prevent emotional stimulations like rage and depression. Have them live positively and actively, foster constructive life style like having a hobby and interest.
2. Fixed sleep time and maintain enough sleep.
3. Eat sufficient nutrient to supply needed protein, vitamins, and cellulose. Best of all, keep it low cholesterol, fat, sugar, and salt.
4. Exercise and work out to increase the level of endorphin and keep away depressive emotion that could affect health.
5. Brainstorm to play chess and computer games to keep the brain going. To construct the health of your brain, take nutritious foods which contain DHA, lecithin, vitamin C and B, and a variety of vegetables.

Self Massage acupuncture point

1. Use your fingers to press on your front forehead and temporal side of your brain to energize your mind and eyes.
2. Press between your eyebrows(印堂穴)20-30 times with both of your 2^nd and 3^rd fingers.
3. Rub your bilateral temples by both index fingers for 1 to 2 minutes; for it improves blood circulation of your brain, delays brain aging, and releases fatigue.
4. Comb your head 3-5 minutes with five fingers, for it increases blood supply of your scalp and improves intracranial circulation.
5. Rub your temples with both index fingers; rub it clockwise and counterclockwise for 7-8 minutes to relax your mind and eyes.
6. Naturally separate all five fingers and gently knock on your scalp from front to back for 2-3 minutes.

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