Dementia is a medical condition in which there is a gradual decline in cognitive functions which include reasoning, memory and other mental abilities. Dementia gradually impairs day-to-day activities such as household work, driving, and personal care such as bathing, dressing, and feeding. This condition affects about 1% of the elderly population and is different from age-related memory loss in which an individual may forget small details but will still be able to learn new things and is generally overall self-dependent. Dementia can be of two types: irreversible which includes causes such as brain damage resulting from Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and Parkinson's disease; the reversible type of dementia includes causes such as head injury, infections, CSF fluid accumulation, tumours, metabolic and hormonal disorders, drug reactions, toxic exposure, and poor oxygen supply.
Ayurvedic herbal treatment for dementia involves the use of Ayurvedic herbal medicines which act on the brain, strengthen the brain cells, improve neurotransmission between the brain synapses, and gradually help reverse the process of degeneration in the brain. Ayurvedic herbal medicines which act on the central nervous system are used in high doses for prolonged periods, in order to treat dementia. Treatment is also given to correct any known causes for the condition, such as inflammation, infection, pressure due to tumour or excess fluid, the development of toxicity due to drugs or chemicals, as well as the correction of metabolic and hormonal disorders. Treatment of atherosclerosis and a gradually diminishing supply of oxygen to the brain is an important aspect of treatment especially in the elderly, and more so in individuals with known cardiovascular disease.
It is important that a correct diagnosis of dementia be made at the earliest, This helps in commencing early treatment and in halting the degeneration of the brain cells. Depending upon the severity of the condition, individuals affected with dementia may require Ayurvedic herbal treatment for periods ranging from 6 to 15 months.
The writer, Dr. A. A. Mundewadi, is available as an online Ayurvedic Consultant at https://www.mundewadiayurvedicclinic.com and http://www.ayurvedaphysician.com
