What is Narcolepsy?
The name of the disease narcolepsy is somewhat uncommon. But the conditions or symptoms of this disease called as narcolepsy are quiet common. If we observe closely, we will see a number of individuals suffering from it. The only difference is that we do not recognize it as narcolepsy and pass it away as daytime sleepiness.
The condition where an individual falls asleep at odd times is called narcolepsy. This attack of sleepiness is sudden as well as uncontrollable. The time of this attack can be anytime from walking down the streets, having your meals, or conversing with someone. The duration of the attack can be few minutes, or even it can extend to few hours.
This disease is caused by some disorder in that particular portion of the brain that controls sleep. The word has come from Greek word meaning a sudden seizure of sleep. Narcolepsy, between the ages of 15 years to 30 years, equally affects men and women.
Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) characterizes narcolepsy. This is a neurological condition. Though there is a disturbance in nighttime sleep in this disease, still this is different from insomnia.
Narcolepsies, unlike many other disorders do not harm a person as much physically as it does psychologically. This is an embarrassing disease that cannot be controlled by the patient. This leads to problems of bullying and ridicule as a child, and can cause low self-esteem, and social unacceptance in adults.
Causes of Narcolepsy
The cause of narcolepsy is still not clear to the doctors. Certain assumptions are made on the basis of diagnosis, like:
Genetic mutation
Autoimmune problem
Less amount of hypocretin, or a chemical that sends brain messages
The initial triggering of narcolepsy is seen through the attack of other diseases like:
Measles
Mumps
Puberty
Accidents, etc
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is more of an embarrassing disease. A lot of social problems arise out of it, more than the physical ones. The symptoms of narcolepsy are as follows:
Falling asleep suddenly
Cataplexy
Sudden loss of muscular control, usually triggered by emotional outbursts like laughter
Drooping of the jaw, slumping of the head
Collapsing
Temporary paralysis
Visual hallucinations
Racing of the heart
Want for sweets
These symptoms can range for few minutes to several hours, and can come as many times as it can in a day.
Diagnosis of Narcolepsy
The diagnosis of narcolepsy at the initial stage is difficult. This is because since in most cases this starts with the adolescence, the symptoms are put down as those of that particular period of time in the development of the individual.
Falling sleep is often marked as laziness and thus medical treatment is ignored.
It is also often blamed on drug misuse, thus further worsening the situation. Other misdiagnoses of narcolepsy are as follows:
Anaemia
Heart Problems
Low blood sugar level
Hypothyroidism/ hyperthyroidism
Epilepsy
Multiple sclerosis.
For proper diagnosis, the sleep of the patient has to be monitored overnight with th EEG machine that monitors the heart beat waves.
Treatment of Narcolepsy
The total cure of narcolepsy has not yet been possible, but certain measures are surely taken to give relief to the patient. They are as follows:
Sleep therapy
Frequent brief snaps
Strict bedtime routine
Stimulant drugs like amphetamines
Antidepressants
Well ventilated rooms
Awareness of parents, teachers, and friends
Precaution for Narcolepsy
Though narcolepsy cannot be cured totally, certain measures can be taken to avoid unwanted and embarrassing situations. They are as follows:
Reduce stress
Take short naps throughout the day
Regular exercise
Strict bedtime routines
Awareness of others
Counselling to deal with the embarrassment trauma.
