Dorothy FarrarConfusion
The following article deals with the state of confusion . This is particularly relevant in gerontology and psychiatry. For a better understanding, the special form of the consciousness disorder should first be defined and common causes named before further diagnostic options, typical courses as well as treatment and prevention measures are discussed.
What is confusion?
The term confusion refers to a condition characterized by qualitative disturbances in consciousness . This includes misorientation or disorientation and confused thinking. Such states are often accompanied by physical and mental excitement.
Some authors subordinate the confusion to delirium, others use the term as a synonym for the amential syndrome. Delirium includes various disorders in the areas of cognition, attention and perception; the amential syndrome is characterized by a perplexed and anxious mood.
causes
The causes of such disorders of consciousness are manifold, but usually organically based. Various insufficiencies (e.g. heart, kidney or liver), hypertension or sepsis can be just as responsible for states of confusion as brain tumors and various degenerative diseases (e.g. Alzheimer’s). Intoxication (caused by psychotropic drugs, other medications or alcohol ) or the withdrawal of such substances often lead to delirium or to amential syndrome.In addition to these health factors that must be taken seriously, other causes that can be classified as rather harmless can also lead to confusion. At this point, it is conceivable, among other things, to have an acute lack of sleep , a too low fluid balance or various exceptional situations (e.g. accidents, waking up after an operation, frequent changes of location among seniors, etc.).
Diseases
- Amentielles Syndrom
When to the doctor?
If you are confused, you do not necessarily have to see a doctor. Whether medical treatment is really necessary depends heavily on the degree of confusion. It can also occur in healthy people and is a temporary symptom. If the confusion is short-lived, it can be managed with bed rest and rest. As a rule, the symptom disappears after a few hours and often occurs as a side effect of diseases of all kinds.
Children in particular can become confused when they have the flu. In this case, there is no need to see a doctor. However, if the confusion lasts longer and does not go away on its own, it is advisable to see a doctor. Older people are often plagued by confusion and can no longer cope with everyday life on their own. Medical treatment often cannot take place.
The patient is then dependent on the help of the family or on that of nurses if everyday life is severely restricted by the confusion. It is common in dementia and Parkinson’s disease and cannot be treated. If the confusion occurs after an accident, a doctor should also be consulted. This may be a trauma that needs to be investigated.
diagnosis and course
To determine whether qualitative disturbances of consciousness are present or not, the behavior of the person concerned should be carefully observed. In addition, a detailed questioning of the patient or his relatives is essential for the diagnosis. Possible causes can be derived from this, the existence of which must be proven or disproved by further investigations.
Confusion due to organic causes is usually acutely reversible. This means that the typical symptoms appear suddenly and, after appropriate treatment, subside after a few hours or days without leaving any damage. Amential syndrome as a result of intoxication can also be resolved quickly. Rapid treatment in an intensive care unit is particularly important in the case of alcohol withdrawal delirium – if left untreated, the condition leads to death in 25 percent of all cases.
If, on the other hand, dementia is the underlying cause, the disorder of consciousness can hardly be cured, but its progression can at best be contained. States of confusion that occur as part of serious underlying diseases (e.g. heart failure, pneumonia or tumors ) are mostly indicators that the disease is far advanced and the patient is in a critical condition.
complications
The degree of confusion is decisive for the further course and the complications of this symptom. In most cases, the affected person’s quality of life is severely reduced and the patient is dependent on the help of friends, relatives or carers. It is not uncommon for the confusion to lead to situations that can be dangerous for the patient and other people. In these cases, inpatient treatment is necessary. The patient can no longer cope with everyday life on his own and suffers from other symptoms such as headaches , nausea and a general feeling of listlessness.
Treatment is only possible to a limited extent in the case of confusion. It often occurs in old age and cannot always be avoided. Here, the person concerned should refrain from consuming alcohol and other drugs in order to limit the confusion. The treatment does not lead to further complications, but it cannot be ruled out that the confusion cannot be completely eliminated.
treatment and therapy
Just as for an appropriate diagnosis and prognosis, the cause of the confusion is of decisive importance for the planning of the treatment and the selection of suitable therapy methods. Different factors cause different courses of the disorder, which is why different intervention measures must be taken in order to be able to counteract the symptoms adequately. In the case of the intoxication already mentioned, for example, the confusion can be eliminated very effectively by stopping the medication responsible or by optimizing the dosage.
The same applies if the disturbance of consciousness can be traced back to lack of sleep or dehydration or to clearly identifiable organic causes that can be counteracted with various medical or surgical interventions. If the causes are of psychological origin, an attempt can be made to regulate the state of confusion through appropriate therapies and accompanying training units or exercises.
The most resistant to treatment are those disorders of consciousness that occur in the context of degenerative diseases . The causes can usually hardly be eliminated, which is why the progression of the confusion cannot be prevented by appropriate measures.
prevention
As has already become clear, the causes of confusion can be very different. Accordingly, it is difficult to name specific preventive measures. In general, care should be taken to keep yourself physically and mentally fit. The best way to do this is through a healthy and balanced diet and drinking enough fluids. Doing enough sport and being active in nature as often as possible can also have a preventive effect.Since confusion is often associated with cognitive impairment, its occurrence can be curbed by a variety of mental stimulation. Due to the fact that intoxication and withdrawal from alcohol or drugs can clearly be identified as the cause of states of confusion, the consumption of such harmful substances should be avoided in particular.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.