Symptom: Confusion

Introduction: Confusion

Confusion: Mental confusion and impaired thinking. See free access online books about Confusion below. See detailed information below for a list of 418 causes of Confusion, including diseases and drug side effect causes.

» Review Causes of Confusion: full list

Causes of Confusion:

The following medical conditions are some of the possible causes of Confusion. There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms.

• Other symptoms or medical conditions that may need to be considered for symptoms described as confusion include:
  • Anxiety
  • Forgetfulness
  • Concentration difficulty
  • Tiredness
  • Fatigue
  • Disorientation
  • Decision difficulty (see Cognitive impairment)
• Some serious causes of confusion-like symptoms may include:
  • Dementia
  • Delirium
  • Senile confusion
  • Senile dementia
• Some less serious possible causes of confusion-like symptoms include:
  • General stress
  • New mother - the mother of a new baby may feel overwhelmed and confused.
  • Indecision - at times the difficulty of making a major life decision may seem confusing.
• Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar may cause confusion-like symptoms.
  • Hypoglycemic attack - can cause symptoms of confusion and even delirium-like symptoms.
  • Diabetic hypoglycemic attack
  • Insulin shock
• Psychological disorders that may cause confusion include:
  • Anxiety disorders - almost all types of anxiety disorder may have some confusion symptoms.
  • Dissociative symptoms
  • Dissociative disorders
  • Depersonalization disorder
  • Psychotic episode
  • Psychotic disorders
  • Personality disorders
  • Learning disorders - may experience some level of confusion.

See full list of 418 causes of Confusion

» Review Causes of Confusion: full list

Causes of Types of Confusion:

Review the causes of these more specific types of Confusion:

• Delirium (324 causes)
• Delirium tremens (2 causes)
• Level of consciousness, decreased
• Unresponsiveness (31 causes)
• Reduced alertness (4 causes)

More types of Confusion

Confusion: Multiple Symptom Checker

Listed below are some combinations of symptoms associated with Confusion, as listed in our database. Visit the Multiple Symptoms Checker, to add and remove symptoms and research your condition.

Multiple Symptom Checker - Other Symptoms

• Confusion: Multiple Symptom Checker

Multiple Symptom Checker Combinations

• Confusion and Behavioral symptoms (310 causes)
• Confusion and Muscle symptoms (231 causes)
• Confusion and Head symptoms (204 causes)
• Confusion and Nerve symptoms (198 causes)
• Confusion and Personality symptoms (196 causes)
• Confusion and Pain (192 causes)
• Confusion and Sensations (186 causes)
• Confusion and Muscle weakness (180 causes)
• Confusion and Movement symptoms (173 causes)
• Confusion and Digestive symptoms (170 causes)
• Confusion and Fatigue (170 causes)
• Confusion and Seizures (164 causes)
• Confusion and Spasms (151 causes)
• Confusion and Mental problems (149 causes)
• Confusion and Headache (148 causes)
• Confusion and Society problems (147 causes)
• Confusion and Weakness (147 causes)
• Confusion and Syncope (144 causes)
• Confusion and Muscle spasms (142 causes)
• Confusion and Skin symptoms (129 causes)

See full list of 1688 Multiple Symptom Checker combinations related to Confusion

Home Diagnostic Testing and Confusion

Home medical tests possibly related to Confusion:

• Mental Health: Home Testing:
  • Home Emotional Stress Tests

Causes of General Symptom Types

Research the causes of these more general types of symptom:

• Behavioral symptoms (2767 causes)

Causes of Similar Symptoms to Confusion

Research the causes of these symptoms that are similar to, or related to, the symptom Confusion:

• Mental symptoms (1944 causes)
• Concentration difficulty (153 causes)
• Dementia (305 causes)

Diagnostic Guides for Confusion

Medical Books Excerpts Read excerpts from published book sections related to Confusion from the following published medical books for more detailed information about Confusion. Free access (no registration): read all online diagnostic book sections about Confusion

Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic tests for Confusion:

Various tests are used in the diagnosis of Confusion. Some of these are listed below :

• Physical examination
  • Temperature
  • Neck stiffness may suggest meningitis or subarachnoid hemorrhage
  • Assessment of vision and hearing
• Neurological examination - to look for focal neurological signs and papilledema.

See full list of 24 diagnostic tests for Confusion

Diagnosis Checklist: Questions your doctor may ask (and why!)

During a consultation, your doctor will use various techniques in their assessment of Confusion. Your doctor may ask several questions when assessing your condition. It is important to remember that your consultation is a two-way process and any extra information you can share with your doctor about your symptoms may help them with their diagnosis. Some of the questions your doctor may ask are listed below:

• How long have you noticed the confusion? - to determine if acute or chronic. If acute in nature must consider delirium as possible cause of confusion. Delirium is an acute confusional state due to many causes e.g. infection, drug intoxication, alcohol withdrawal, liver failure, kidney failure, hypoxia, low blood sugar, stroke, heart attack or head injury.
• At what time of the day is the confusion worse? - e.g. if symptoms are worse in the late afternoon and at night delirium ( acute confusional state) is most likely.
• Is there insight concerning the confusion? - patients with cerebral arteriosclerosis e.g. stroke; depression or AIDS notice their confusion whereas patients with Alzheimer's disease are unaware of their confusion.
• History of head injury? - may suggest subdural haematoma, extradural haematoma or concussion.
• Medications? - certain medications may cause intoxication e.g. anticonvulsants, anticholinergics, anti-anxiety medications, opiates; or may cause confusion on drug withdrawal.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Confusion (17 listings)

Diagnosis Checklist: Associated symptoms your doctor may ask about (and why!)

Sometimes, other symptoms may be present and may help your doctor analyse your condition. The symptoms your doctor may ask about (in association with Confusion) may include:

• Symptoms of dementia? - e.g. impaired memory, impaired judgement and thinking, impaired verbal fluency and impaired ability to perform complex tasks. Personality may change, impulse control may be lost and personal care deteriorates.
• Symptoms of depression? - Depression may exhibit many of the features of an early dementia, especially memory impairment, slowed thinking and lack of spontaneity.
• Fever? - can suggest any infection that may cause delirium or meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess or brain hemorrhage.
• Symptoms of stroke? - e.g. limb weakness or paralysis, facial muscle weakness or paralysis, difficulty with speech and swallow.
• Headache? - may suggest brain cancer or acute stroke.

See Diagnosis Checklist for Confusion (17 listings)

Stories from Users for Confusion

Real-life user stories relating to Confusion:

• NAET/Bioset Therapy...Ways to Get Well!!!!!
• I'm 15, really week, terribly lazy and all ways ill...
• Things to do if you are desperate
• Where to find a case history?
• Not really sure what this is. But please help.
• I confuse dr.
• Im not sure if this is where im supposed to post this...but i need advice
• I'm thinking lymphoma but can't get dx
• Confusing symptoms
• I can't get any help...I think something is wrong
• Toddler Speech confused HELP
• does anybody recognize this ?
• I didn't know where to put this...
• docs are confused, please help me....
• confused.....
• first papsmear gone way way wrong
• thoroughly confused
• confused and worried
• Not sure what I have.
• Paranoid Confusion

Symptom specific forums: The following patient stories in our interactive forums and message boards relate to Confusion or relevant symptoms:

• Constitutional (General Wellbeing) (156)
  • Sore Scalp/hair follicles
  • Fat loss in entire body
  • Dont know how much more I can take..
  • I'm Lost.
  • My wife does not sweat I'm worried
  • More user stories
• Respiratory (Lungs and Breathing) (136)
  • Chlorine/ammonia odor when I breathe
  • Chest Pain/Pain While Breathing
  • Clearing throat cough and breathing difficulties
  • Chest discomfort
  • Unable to get diagnosis....please help!
  • More user stories
• Gastrointestinal (Food - from entry to exit) (452)
  • Bloating/Distention/Intestinal Gas
  • Intense Abdominal Pain
  • Help Please! Extreme Abdominal Pain/Gas/Bowel Symptoms ++
  • Feels like a baby kicking-not pregnant
  • 7 year old with severe heartburn/stomach aches
  • More user stories
• Genitourinary (The urination system) (138)
  • Burning In Penis After Urination. Std/urine Culture = Negative
  • Blood in urine (hematuria)
  • I KEEP PEEING AND I DONT KNOW WHY!! Iplease some1 help me
  • Excessive Burping..
  • Swollen (enlarged)Kidneys, normal blood tests (no stones)Dr.'s not helping
  • More user stories
• Neurological (Nerves) (357)
  • Could this be MS?
  • Numbness and tingling all over
  • Tingling/numbness in arms/hands/legs/face/head [more symptoms]
  • Eye twitch
  • Essential tremor
  • More user stories
• Psychiatric (Mental Health) (218)
  • PLEASE can anyone help my son?!
  • My husbands making me sad
  • Heart condition or mental health problem?
  • Anxiety or...?
  • Weird Behavior at School. Normal?
  • More user stories

Videos for Confusion

Patient Surveys for Confusion

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Medications or substances causing Confusion:

The following drugs, medications, substances or toxins are some of the possible causes of Confusion as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Certain drugs
• Certain medications
• Sedative-hypnotics
• Marijuana - a form of cannabis
• Cannabis

See full list of 1045 medications causing Confusion

Drug interactions causing Confusion:

When combined, certain drugs, medications, substances or toxins may react causing Confusion as a symptom. Always advise your doctor of any medications or treatments you are using, including prescription, over-the-counter, supplements, herbal or alternative treatments.

• Dymelor and alcohol interaction
• Diabinese and alcohol interaction
• Amaryl and alcohol interaction
• Glucotrol and alcohol interaction
• Glucotrol XL and alcohol interaction

See full list of 1771 drug interactions causing Confusion

Definitions of Confusion:

Confusion: A mental state in which reactions to environmental stimuli are inappropriate because the person is bewildered, perplexed, or unable to orientate herself or himself. [L. confusio, a confounding]
Source: Stedman's Medical Spellchecker, © 2006 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Organs affected by Confusion:

The list of organs typically affected by Confusion may include, but is not limited to:

• Brain

Detailed list of causes of Confusion

The list below shows some of the causes of Confusion mentioned in various sources:

• Abdominal Aneurysm - confusion
• Acanthamoeba infection - confusion
• Acanthamoeba infection of the central nervous system - confusion
• Aceruloplasminemia - confusion
• Acid-Base Imbalance - confusion

See full list of 418 causes of Confusion

How Common are these Causes of Confusion?

This information refers to the general prevalence and incidence of these diseases, not to how likely they are to be the actual cause of Confusion. Of the 418 causes of Confusion that we have listed, we have the following prevalence/incidence information:

• 9 causes are "very common" diseases
• 14 causes are "common" diseases
• 11 causes are "uncommon" diseases
• 1 causes are "rare" diseases
• 34 causes are "very rare" diseases
• 374 causes have no prevalence information.

See the analysis of the prevalence of 418 causes of Confusion

Conditions listing symptoms: Confusion:

The following list of conditions have 'Confusion' or similar listed as a symptom in our database. This computer-generated list may be inaccurate or incomplete. Always seek prompt professional medical advice about the cause of any symptom.

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Causes of Confusion Based on Risk Factors

This information shows analysis of the list of causes of Confusion based on whether certain risk factors apply to the patient: