I thought I had already posted this, but maybe not. My dh has a red spot just above the hairline. He didn't have it when I first read this thread, less than a year ago.
DH had a red mark right at the hair line. I noticed it long before he was diagnosed. Now I have to go check out the kids and see if they have it. I'll also ask if his brother and sister have a red mark, since they have both been diagnosed.
My dear husband died on November 17 of this past year. For the longest time, he did NOT have a red space on his neck below his hairline...until late SUMMER. Then, there it was, almost cherry red, from his hairline to mid collar, center back. I showed this to his barber and he thought he had either burned his neck or had a bad rash (no bumps). There is SOMETHING common to all of our Alzheimer patients that brings on this unique and undeniable oddity.
One thing I learned on our journey and that was to accept what "IS"
I signed up to post a message on this page due to my curiosity and needing to see if many others saw what I did. I have worked on a dementia unit at a nursing home for many years. I enjoy my job and love it even more because I am able to work with Alzheimer residents. I care for my residents daily because I am an LNA.
One day, I notice on the back of one of my residents heads a red mark. Just like the one you are all describing. The only reason I continued to look at other residents was because our head nurse brought information to my attention. She said she heard one of our visitors call it the Alzheimer's mark. So, I decided to start checking out the backs of all of our fifty residents on the unit. I will tell you that more 50-75% of them have this mark! Now, we work on the dementia unit. Therefore, not all have Alzheimer's. This makes the percentage even more accurate with relating the mark to the disease.
So, to all of you out there...keep this research going and information flying! After I found this information out myself and looking online...I found it VERY difficult to find related incidents of this mark. This discussion was the best I could come close to finding. I hope my little bit of info helps and god bless you all for dealing with this disease. It has taken a lot of our loved ones.
i see the red blotch topic is back up. i hope the newbies will check their heads and report back! thank you boogey for that input. it is indeed astonishing. i ,for one, have fervently denied its a stork mark or birth mark like suggested in prior posts by medical personell. indeed it needs further investigation. i think the 'alzheimer mark' is deadon. they can get the 'mark' at any time early or LATER - please continue to post if your spouse has this oddity. divvi
I agree it is not a stork mark or birth mark. My husband did not have this mark until he started having dementia. Even though he has FTD and not Alzheimer's, I think it has something to due with the dementia. I need to ask the nurse at his Daycare if she has noticed this mark on the residents.
I started noticing a dark mark on the nape of DH 's neck about 6 months ago... It seems to get darker, to the point that I thought for some reason he was scratching his head with a black marker...I even helped him bathe and gave this a real scrub,,, It IS there to stay and I'm at a loss, too... Love what I learn from all of you here...
Maybe the mark appears when a certain area of their brain is affected by the disease. That would explain why some get it early, some late and some not at all.
those of you who havent checked the backs of the heads of your spouses please do so and post the results. this phenomenon seems to be quite prominent among dementia patients! divvi
I googled this topic and was led here. My husband let me know tonight I have a red splotch on my neck near my hairline. I have never had if before. It has been itching but only sporadically. I'm only 32, but I am not kidding when I say that I have been very worried and voiced my concerns to my family about thinking that I'm showing signs of AD. There are things from my past and my present that I have 0 recollection of. When people recount things for me, sometimes I can remember, sometimes not. My grandmother had dementia. My twins (boy and girl) each had a birth mark mentioned in the previous posts. They are 17 months. My daughter had the angel kiss on her forehead and my son has the stork bite on the back of his neck. I will be making an appointment with a dermatologist tomorrow and begging whatever doctor will listen to test me for AD or dementia, despite the fact that I'm 32. Does such a test exist? I know nothing about this and when I express my concerns to my family, they always say that I'm just so busy that I'm forgetful. I'd LOVE to think that was it, but this is happening far too often for me to believe that it is only that. Any advice?
I don't think that this has been proven to be an indicator of Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, you should see your doctor and be tested if you think there is a problem. There could also be some other medical reasons for your symptoms that are treatable.
I had twins and I can tell you that I had trouble focusing and remembering because I was so dog tired (we also had two other preschoolers). Those first couple of years are just a blur.
Advice is to 1)go to your doctor and 2) get some time alone from the kids to recharge your batteries. Good luck!
As a retired physician I would add one other comment: See your doctor and don't let him/her say you are too young to have Alzheimer's. Remind him that Dr. Alzheimer's original case died at the age of 50. As Marche says, there are many other medical problems that could give the symptoms you have and that can be corrected. Just don't dismiss Alzheimer's solely based on age.
yes both may cause skin discoloration- but many of us who have the blotches are not on any AD meds. that's what strikes me odd. no meds that would cause it. mine has had it years it started out small and now half up his head on the right side.
Really curious if anybody has any more info on this. I am 63, have not been diagnosed, nor do I, so far, have symptoms of Alzheimer's, but I have the red mark on the back of my neck and it was not there when I was born. I had a small birthmark on my side when I was born and it was noted in my birth records. I also have been looking at the back of my head to roll my hair or put it in a ponytail or pigtails for most of my life. It was not there. I first noticed it when I was in my 50's. My father had dementia but we do not know if it was Alzheimer's or lack of oxygen from heart problems and possibly clogged arteries. I am now working with organizations, in my community, that provide services for care givers and patients. Trying to get the word out about available services and determine what additional services the community needs. In doing research on care giving, I came across this site and just stumbled into the discussion about the red marks. I was really struck by the description of the mark as looking like "Idaho" because my mark fits that description, except reversed (the tail is sort of to the right). It is in the middle of the nape of my neck, wider at the hairline and slightly above that then tapers to the right. Even if it is not related to Alzheimer's, it must be caused by something that we all have and it would be interesting to know. Also, there are possibly many causes for Alzheimer's and it seems to me that arterial or vascular issues that likely cause these marks could possibly be one. My doctor just said it was a birthmark but I know it wasn't there until about 8 to 10 years ago. Would really be interested to keep this going and hear if anyone has found out what might cause these marks.
Hi carmbrec, The previous poster said the spot was shaped like Iowa (not Idaho). Iowa is a horizontal rectangle. Idaho has a vertical shape and as you noted, has a "tail" on the top.
My husband, who is completely bald, has a reddish brown half-moon mark on the back of his head but it exactly coincides with the open area on the back of his baseball cap. (I could never get him to apply sunscreen.) When I visit him at the veteran's home tomorrow, I'll try to observe the heads of the other men in his unit, especially the men who are bald.
Hi all, I'm a clinical nutritionist and see hundreds of patients a month. I've noticed so many that have this patch on the nape of their necks. Only 2 have dementia symptoms. Until stumbling upon this thread, I'd never associated it with AD before. I've tried finding commonalities, and while many use CPAP machines, not all do. (I was thinking dermatologic rash from contact with the head strap.) HERE'S WHAT I'M WONDERING...almost all of my patients suffer from a lack of healthy fats, and AD has been linked to the same. Could this "rash" be an external sign of a lack of healthy fats? To all of you, I'm sorry - AD is a hateful disease and tough to watch. Please, PLEASE research the benefits of therapeutic dosages of coconut oil and use it!!!
Clinic, we have discussed coconut oil many times in this forum. A few found some positive signs but most did not. Eventually though AD wins. My husband does not have the red spot and he uses a CPAP
My husband was in three different facilities and two psych hospitals. I asked the staff in all of them about the red spots and there were very few related to patients with dementia and the spot.
A couple of years ago I noticed a light rash on the back of my wife's neck, right around her hairline. What an odd thing that others have seen something similar. My wife has dementia but not Alzheimer's (as far as I know), and she takes the standard meds, Aricept and Namenda.
Hi, I am new here, but have been a "lurker" for many years. I have learned so much from this web site over the years, and it has become my go to place for information.
My Husband (69) was diagnosed 8 years ago. He is in late stage 6.
I wanted to post because he also has the red spot on the back of his neck. I noticed it some years ago, and it was not there previously. It is not a rash or broken capillaries, it is a solid red blotch.
All these AD patients with "the blotch" it can't be coincidence.