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Behavior - unusual or strange
Alternate Names : Acting strangely
Home Care & Treatment
A doctor should check any unusual behaviors or personality changes. Treatments are based on the following causes of delirium: - Brain tumor, head injury, stroke, infection, fever, or pneumonia -- seek immediate medical attention
- Anxiety and emotional problems -- support, talk therapy, and medications
- Malnutrition -- medical exam, followed by proper diet and vitamin supplements
- Medication -- ask the doctor about adjusting the dosage, changing medications, or stopping them
- Excess alcohol -- stop drinking (abstinence)
- Illicit drug use -- stop taking the drug and seek a doctor's advice for withdrawal symptoms
- Emotional problems -- psychological counseling
- Hypothermia -- warmth (rewarming should be carefully monitored)
- Surgery -- this is usually temporary, but avoid long-term use of sedatives and painkillers
- Alzheimer's disease -- medications, sympathetic care, occupational therapy, family support
- Huntington's chorea -- supportive care
- Environmental causes -- change the environment or change environments
- Low thyroid function -- see your health care provider about thyroid hormone replacement treatment
Call your Health Care Provider if
Contact your regular health care provider or a doctor who treats disorders of the nervous system (neurologist) if: - The unusual or strange behavior is severe, long-term, unexplained, or is affecting your life
- You have dementia or delirium
What to Expect at your Health Care Provider's Office
The health care provider will perform a physical examination and will take a medical history. The physical examination will probably include a detailed evaluation of the nervous system (neurological evaluation). Medical history questions may include: - What unusual behaviors are present?
- How much is the lifestyle affected?
- Can the person eat, dress, and perform other everyday activities?
- When did the unusual behavior begin?
- Is it getting worse, better, or staying about the same?
- How fast is the behavior changing?
- What other symptoms are present?
The following tests may be performed:
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Review Date : 2/13/2008
Reviewed By : Luc Jasmin, MD, PhD, Departments of Anatomy & Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
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