Can narcolepsy be cured?
Many people feel exhausted upon waking up on certain days, but others feel tired every day, and it lasts all day. Narcolepsy is a long-term sleep condition in which a person's sleeping and waking patterns are out of balance. It is difficult for people with these sleeping disorders to stay awake for long periods of time, no matter where they are or what they are doing.
What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the regulation of sleep and wakefulness in the brain. Excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and sleep paralysis are all symptoms of narcolepsy.
Can narcolepsy be cured?
Narcolepsy has no cure. It's a sleep disease that lasts a lifetime. It does not, however, normally get worse with age. Medications and lifestyle changes can help to alleviate the effects of narcolepsy.
Who gets narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy affects both men and women similarly and is seen all over the world. Symptoms often appear in infancy or puberty, but they may also appear later in life.
This is a life-long illness. Narcolepsy is not uncommon, but it is a disorder that is underdiagnosed and underrecognized. One of every 3,000 Americans are thought to suffer from narcolepsy with cataplexy. There are expected to be more cases without cataplexy.
Are there different types of narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is classified into two types:
Narcolepsy type 1
This form of narcolepsy is characterized by extreme daytime sleepiness as well as one or more of the following symptoms:
- Cataplexy is a condition that causes a sudden lack of muscle tone or bouts of muscle fatigue when you are conscious. It can cause slurred speech and buckling knees, as well as complete paralysis in more serious situations. Strong feelings such as excitement, surprise, amusement, or rage are often used to cause these events.
- Hypocretin-1 levels in the CSF are low or absent. Type 1 narcolepsy is exacerbated by a lack of the neurotransmitter hypocretin (orexin). Hypocretin is a chemical that controls arousal, wakefulness, and appetite. In addition, if they don't have cataplexy, a patient with low hypocretin has Narcolepsy type 1.
Narcolepsy type 2
When you have extreme daytime sleepiness but no cataplexy, you have this type of narcolepsy. You might sleep for a couple of hours and feel rejuvenated when you wake up. However, after a brief period of time, you begin to feel exhausted again.
What causes narcolepsy?
The loss of a neurotransmitter (chemical signal) in the brain called hypocretin has been discovered in people with narcolepsy. The sleep/wake cycle, including the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep state, is controlled by hypocretin. Excessive sleepiness is caused by a lack of hypocretin, and REM sleep (also known as "dreaming sleep") characteristics appear during wakefulness.
Other causes that scientists believe can play a role in narcolepsy include:
- Toxic substances in the environment, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and secondhand smoke.
- A brain tumor or brain injury. Trauma or cancer can damage the part of the brain that regulates REM sleep and wakefulness in a limited number of patients.
- The history of the family. Any people with narcolepsy have families that suffer from the same symptoms.
- Infections.
What are the symptoms of narcolepsy?
The 5 Main Symptoms of Narcolepsy are:
- Cataplexy: This most distinctive symptom of narcolepsy type 1 is a rapid, usually short (2 minutes or more) lack of muscle tone accompanied by a state of consciousness. Strong feelings like amusement, surprise, or rage normally set it off. Excessive Daytime Sleepiness:
Excessive daytime sleepiness: This is described as an inability to remain awake and alert throughout the day, resulting in periods of uncontrollable sleepiness or unintentional drowsiness. The most common and disabling symptom of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness.
Sleep Disruption: Sleep disturbance is caused by repeated awakenings, which leads to low sleep quality. Because narcolepsy is a condition characterized by sleep-wake state dysfunction, most patients complain of sleep disruption at night.
Sleep Paralysis: During sleep-wake transitions, sleep paralysis is a troubling, temporary failure to move voluntary muscles or communicate. Hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations are often observed.
Hallucinations: Hypnagogic hallucinations are intense dreamlike visions that happen when you fall asleep. Hypnopompic hallucinations are hallucinations that occur while you are awake. Sleep paralysis can cause these kinds of things to happen.
How is narcolepsy diagnosed?
Several tests are used to diagnose narcolepsy. To rule out any possible sources of symptoms, a doctor will do a physical examination and take a detailed medical history. Keep in mind that just because you have any of the known narcolepsy symptoms doesn't mean you have narcolepsy.
The polysomnogram (PSG) and the multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT) are two measures that are found crucial in verifying a diagnosis of narcolepsy.
Polysomnogram (PSG)
Asleep analysis, also known as a polysomnogram (PSG), is a procedure that takes place in a sleep lab. It transmits and tracks specific physical movements of the body, such as muscle movement, breathing patterns, and brain function, while you sleep. A certified sleep doctor analyzes the recordings to decide whether or not you have a particular sleep disorder.
Multiple Sleep Latency Test
This test, which is also done in a sleep lab the morning after the overnight polysomnogram test, tests how long it takes a person to fall asleep (sleep latency) during the day. You will be required to take four or five planned naps every two hours during this exercise. Two hours after waking up that morning, the first nap begins. It takes about 10-20 minutes for people with regular sleep and alertness to fall asleep. People with narcolepsy (and other causes of abnormal sleepiness) take even less time to fall asleep (less than five minutes).
You will be asked to maintain a sleep diary for two weeks before these tests, recording bedtime, wake-up hours, and nap times. Your doctor will consult with you to develop a plan for eventually phasing out medications that can affect the results of your sleep test.
How is narcolepsy treated?
To better manage the effects of narcolepsy, a variety of medications are available. What is well for one patient does not work with another, and the doctor will work with you to determine the medication that is best for you. This normally entails a combination of medicine and lifestyle changes.
Medication
Narcolepsy is treated with a variety of medications. Some are used for the treatment of one or more narcolepsy symptoms, and others are not approved but are used "off label," meaning they should only be recommended by a doctor. Sodium oxybate is generally believed to be the most common therapy for many people with cataplexy symptoms. However, the treatment is actually prohibitively costly, and several patients are turned down for therapy.
Lifestyle
Easy lifestyle improvements, in addition to treatment, are especially important in helping to manage the effects of sleep disorders like narcolepsy. Establishing and keeping a daily schedule (going to bed and getting up around the same time), taking scheduled naps throughout the day, avoiding caffeine in the afternoon or at night, having a healthier diet, and living an active lifestyle will also help to decrease the unpredictability and the seriousness of narcolepsy symptoms.
Can narcolepsy be prevented?
To prevent narcolepsy, there isn't anything that can be done. The lack of a neurotransmitter (chemical signal) in the brain called hypocretin causes narcolepsy. Hypocretin is essential for sleep/wake cycle regulation. An autoimmune illness that attacks the cells that manufacture hypocretin, the family history, a brain injury or tumor, infections, or exposure to contaminants are all possible triggers.
What should I expect if I have narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy has no cure. It's a sleep disease that lasts a lifetime. It does not, however, normally get worse with age. Medications and lifestyle changes can help to alleviate the effects of narcolepsy.
When should I call my healthcare provider?
Consult a doctor whether you suspect you or a loved one has narcolepsy. For more assessment, he or she can refer you to a sleep specialist or sleep center. Symptoms may be reduced if diagnosed and treated early. Try to discuss your concerns and issues with your healthcare provider. To maintain the highest levels of alertness and daytime functioning possible, your doctor can change the dosage of your prescription, try other medications, or make other recommendations to improve your symptoms.
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