Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care
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Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care

Hello, my name is Gregory. When I was a young lad, I had to enter the health care world in an unexpected way. I developed a serious disease out of the blue that took doctors by surprise. I went through so many different testing procedures before my doctors could diagnose the rare disease. Everyone around me reeled as they tried to understand the purpose and process of the diagnostic tests. I hope to help others understand these important tests better through this website. Please come by often to learn all you need to know about medical diagnostics and working closely with health care professionals.

Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care

What To Know About Alcohol And Wet Brain

Nanja Bongers

Wet brain is brain damage that is caused by a lack of Vitamin B1, which is often found in cases of alcoholism. When this happens, memory is affected, which can especially damaging if it develops into permanent damage. Here's what you should know about this condition:

  • There are More Symptoms Than Memory Damage: Other damages from wet brain include confusion, poor muscle coordination, and potentially the loss of mental activity, which can lead to a coma or even death. The later occurs in more serious cases and isn't very common. Those suffering from this condition may even suffer from problems with vision, hallucinations, and severe memory loss where stories are made up to help fill gaps in memory. 
  • Risk is Different for Everyone: The risk of developing wet brain as an alcoholic is different for everyone. First, it depends age, how long alcohol abuse has been in play, and even gender, as it is seen more in women than men. It can also depend on whether or not alcoholism runs in the family and if there was alcohol abuse while in the womb. 
  • Doctor Can Diagnose Wet Brain: A doctor should be made aware of alcohol abuse. Although a doctor can usually tell if there is alcohol abuse based on certain behaviors, if it's more difficult to tell, they won't be able to test for a deficiency in vitamin B1 to officially diagnose wet brain. This is why, if you know you suffer from alcoholism or you have a family member who does, you should alert your doctor or your family member's doctor. 
  • Wet Brain Can be Treated: Fortunately, wet brain can be controlled with prescribed medications from a doctor. From here, it can be treated with increased vitamin B1 injections. While this will potentially eliminate confusion, further memory loss, and vision problems, it won't help retain memories that have already been lost. This is why it's important to seek medical help right away--before it progresses and eventually becomes a permanent and untreatable problem. 

When you know these things about wet brain, you can get a better idea of how to take care of it if you yourself are suffering or a family member is suffering. Too often, people write these symptoms of wet brain off as part of the symptoms of alcoholism and while it is, it isn't a direct issue with alcohol, meaning that even if alcohol abuse ceases, wet brain will still be there. Contact a company like Allegheny Brain And Spine Surgeons to learn more.


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