What Is Short-Term Memory Loss?

Are there times when you are in a conversation and you suddenly forget a point that you`re trying to make? Or times when you keep an item in a place and the next minute you`re searching all over for it? Short-term memory loss is quite natural, and it usually comes with aging, however, when it happens so consistently that you forget things that happened just recently, that may be a problem. Short-term memory loss may be as a result of Alzheimer`s disease, dementia, injury to the brain, mental disorders, or some other conditions. People who suffer short-term memory loss may have difficulty driving, taking care of themselves, keeping up with their jobs, among other challenges.
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Causes of Short-Term Memory Loss

• aging
• tumors in the brain
• inflammation of the brain
• brain infections
• bleeding or clotting of blood in the brain
• head injury from a fall or an accident
• nutrient deficiency
• stress
• anxiety or depression
• substance abuse
• some medicines such as anxiolytics, statins, and drugs for seizures
• medical conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer`s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease

Symptoms of Short-Term Memory Loss

• forgetting where one keeps their belongings
• asking similar questions repeatedly
• forgetting recent activities one did
• forgetting things that one recently saw or read

How to Diagnose Short-Term Memory Loss

Inquiries

This is usually the first step in diagnosing short-term memory loss. Doctors ask questions about the medical history and lifestyle of the affected person. They also ask questions to know the symptoms the person experiences.

Tests

Physical examinations and blood tests usually come after doctors get answers to critical questions regarding the condition. There may also be an MRI or CT scan of the brain to see if there are likely causes of short-term memory loss in the brain.

Referral

The test results and possible cause(s) of the condition determine who takes it up next. The doctor may need to refer the affected person to a specialist for treatment.

How to Treat Short-Term Memory Loss

There are a number of treatment options to combat short-term memory loss, depending on the cause of the condition. When the cause is some underlying medical conditions such as cancer or blood clots in the brain, then treatments such as cognitive therapy, cancer therapy, and surgery may be applicable.
Nutrient deficiency may also be a cause of short-term memory loss, and in such a situation, restoring the deficient nutrient would be helpful. There are some home remedies used in treating short-term memory loss; let`s see some of them.

4 Home Remedies for Treating Short-Term Memory Loss

Here are four simple ways to deal with short-term memory loss.

Curcumin

To use curcumin to combat short-term memory loss, here`s what you need, and how to go about it:

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• 1 glass of hot milk

Direction

• Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder to a glass of hot milk and stir well.
• Drink the mixture once every night.

Curcumin is the main component in turmeric, and it is potent at combating the symptoms of memory impairment, hence it works excellently at treating short-term memory loss.

Ginkgo Biloba

Ingredients

• 1 cup of water
• 1-2 teaspoons of ginkgo biloba tea leaves

Direction

• Add a teaspoon or two of ginkgo biloba tea leaves to a cup of water.
• Bring it to boil.
• Take it off the stove, and let the tea cool a bit.
• Strain the tea and drink it up.

You may drink this once or twice a day. Ginkgo biloba improves cognitive function and treats symptoms of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, hence it effectively combats short-term memory loss.

Vitamin B12 Supplements

Vitamin B12 is reliable for enhancing cognitive function. You may consume a vitamin B12 supplement daily to combat symptoms of short-term memory loss. It is important to get a doctor`s prescription to know the ideal supplement for you.

Omega-3 Supplements

Consuming an omega-3 supplement once daily can help you deal with short-term memory loss because it is effective at combating dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Remember that you should only take such supplements after getting a doctor`s prescription.

How to Prevent Short-Term Memory Loss

• Get enough sleep.
• Exercise regularly.
• Engage in brain-tasking activities such as puzzles.
• Make to-do lists and stick to schedules.
• Reduce distractions by eliminating clutters in your environment.
• Limit distractions.
• Keep your surroundings well arranged at all times.
• Create a to-do list and stick to schedules.

How to Help People with Short-Term Memory Loss

• Be flexible and patient with them.
• Help them remember details by breaking down new activities into simpler steps.
• When they try to remember details, give them verbal cues, rather than asking questions which may further confuse them.
• Help them establish a routine.
• Encourage them to write important things down on a paper.
• Avoid leaving them to stay alone.

Some Brain and Memory Facts

• The frontal lobe controls short-term memory.
• There are mainly three categories of memory, namely: short-term memory, long-term memory, and working memory, and different parts of the brain takes care of each.
• The hippocampus houses long-term memories, and when it experiences damage, the affected person may suffer amnesia.
• Memories aren’t always reliable: the brain has a way of transferring details from one experience to another, thereby causing one to mix up information without knowing.
• The memory starts to work about 20 weeks after conception.
• The human brain’s storage capacity is limitless.
• Contrary to what many think, caffeine doesn’t enhance memory performance; it only helps to increase alertness.
• Sleep enhances the retrieval and storage of long-term memories.
• The brain requires some exercise to work better, just like other parts of the body.
• The major reason people tend to lose memories as they age is that they don`t exercise their brains as much as they did when they were younger.
• When one comes up with a false event and they repeat it to themself over and over, it becomes true to them.
• People lose positive memories more than they lose negative ones.
• The brain is the center of the human nervous system, controlling our memories, decisions, thoughts, and movements.
• The skull (cranium) is a protective casing that protects the brain.
• Most cases of stroke are as a result of a blood clot in the brain that blocks the local blood supply, hence damaging nearby brain tissue.
• Contrary to what many believe, a brain doesn`t record details as a camera does.
• Contrary to what many believe, alcohol does not kill brain cells. It can only damage connective tissues at the end of neurons.
• There are memory techniques that can help you improve your memory.
• The brain can form new cells through a process called neurogenesis.
• The human brain weighs three pounds.
• The brain comprises 60% of fat, and it is one of the fattiest organs in the human body
• During early pregnancy, the brain neurons develop at a whopping rate of 250,000 per minute.
• Frequent jet lag can affect one`s memory negatively due to the release of stress hormones.
• There is no research that proves that listening to classical music improves mental skills.
• Reading aloud promotes brain development.
• The brain retains images more than texts.
• The brain is active at all times, even during sleep.
• The brain receives more oxygen when you yawn.