What is narcolepsy?
Ranked #7,873 in Healthy Living, #136,385 overall
Do you have narcolepsy?
You probably have heard about or known people who fall asleep at work without any warning. One minute they will be fine and the next they will have their eyes closed and sound asleep. Is it because they are overly tired? Maybe, but it might be because of narcolepsy.
What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder. The condition is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in which a person experiences extreme fatigue and possibly falls asleep at inappropriate times, such as while at work or at school. From Wikipedia
what causes narcolepsy?
- Heredity
- Infections
- Brain injuries
- Autoimmune diseases
Tests to determine if you have Narcolepsy
According to PubMedHealth here are 4 of the most common tests for narcolepsy
- ECG (measures the heart's electrical activity)
- EEG (brain activity measurements)
- Monitoring of breathing
- Genetic testing to look for narcolepsy gene
What is a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)?
This is a sleep study that is done the day after you have had overnight sleep study. The test begins at 9 in the morning. You will have to take 5 naps with 2 hour intervals this will determine how long it takes for you fall asleep.
What is EDS?
EDS (Excessive Daytime sleepiness) is a common symptom of narcolepsy along with lack of energy, and the need to nap during the day.
Could it be sleep apnea?
Sleep apnea is where your breathing is interrupted while you sleep due to the blockage of the airway in the back of your throat. A common characteristic of sleep apnea patients is being overweight. Like narcolepsy, sleep apnea suffers can fall asleep many times during the day. But there is a difference between the two. Video information about narcolepsy
powered by Youtube
Treatments for narcolepsy
There is no known cure for narcolepsy. There are things that can be done to help ease the symptoms. Medications such as stimulants are used along with changes in behavior and possibly therapy. Behavior changes may include taking short naps and eating light meals.
Sleep related lenses
One of my blogs on sleeping
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byCataplexy attacks
Cataplexy is a rare disorder that sometimes affects narcolepsy sufferers. Loss of muscle strength and tone could cause muscles in the face to slacken, slurred speech or even the body collapsing. Emotional reactions are believed to cause cataplexy.
Hypnagogic hallucinations
Close to half of the people who have narcolepsy have hypnagogic hallucinations. They occur right before sleep or right after sleep, they can be vivid and at times frightening hallucination that can last for a few seconds or even minutes.
Let me know what you think
submit
-
Reply
-
buymodavigil
Jan 17, 2012 @ 9:22 am | delete
- nice lens... :)
-
-
Reply
-
blue22d
Sep 4, 2011 @ 9:47 am | delete
- Excellent lens. My husband had it for 20+ years (lost him to cancer). A learning experience to say the least for both of us. He did well dealing with it. When in public, people thought he was drunk as he would get emotional, have an attack, loose some control on speech and start to fall. This was the hardest for him....getting people to listen as it would take time.
-
-
Reply
-
skiesgreen
Mar 18, 2010 @ 8:54 pm | delete
- Nice lens on a good subject. I always had trouble staying awake during videos in anthropology. Is that related to this condition? I find TV also sends me to sleep. Top marks
Norma
-
by davidstillwagon
davidstillwagon
Hi, I'm David Stillwagon. I live in Atlanta with my wife and son. I blog on health and age issues.
I am originally from Uniontown Pa. I have lived in...
more »
- 64 featured lenses
- Winner of 11 trophies!
- Top lens » Government programs for the unemployed
Feeling creative?
Create a Lens!
