How to treat narcolepsy? Combining Chinese and Western medicine

Patients with narcolepsy are always in a sleeping state. Their family members and people around them will think that they are particularly lazy, which will cause great psychological pressure on the patients. They should be treated in time. The combination of Western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine is effective in controlling narcolepsy.

1. Western medicine treatment of narcolepsy

Once drowsiness occurs, it is not easy to eliminate. In most cases, these symptoms of sleepiness can be successfully managed with treatment, regular naps, and good sleep habits.

Treatment is mainly symptomatic, and central nervous system stimulants can be used appropriately, such as 5-10 mg of methylphenidate taken half an hour before breakfast or lunch, starting with a small dose and gradually increasing the dose to a total of 30 mg per day, or 5-10 mg of amphetamine once a day and gradually increasing the dose to a total of 20 mg per day, or 37.5 mg of pemoline once a day, the effective dose is 37.5 mg to 75 mg.

The main symptom of hypersomnia - excessive daytime sleepiness - can be treated in several ways, such as taking stimulants like modafinil (Provigil), methylphenidate (Ritalin and other brand names), or dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and taking regular naps during the day. Cataplexy and sleep paralysis can be treated with tricyclic antidepressants. Cataplexy can also be treated with oxytocin sodium, although use of this drug needs to be strictly controlled because it is abused in the entertainment industry.

2. TCM treatment of narcolepsy

1. Insufficiency of Qi and blood: weak constitution, shortness of breath, laziness to speak, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations and uneasiness. The menstrual volume is small, light in color and thin in texture. Feeling drowsy and sleepy during menstruation, especially after meals. The face is sallow, the tongue is pale with white coating, and the pulse is deep, thready and weak. Treatment should be aimed at tonifying Qi and nourishing blood. The preferred prescription: Shiquan Dabu Soup. Codonopsis pilosula, Atractylodes macrocephala, Poria cocos, Rehmannia glutinosa, Chinese angelica, white peony root, Astragalus membranaceus, Ligusticum chuanxiong, cinnamon bark, and licorice. If the main problem is spleen deficiency, Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction should be the first choice to strengthen the spleen and replenish qi; if blood deficiency is obvious, double the amount of peony and angelica, and add 10 grams of donkey-hide gelatin (melted) to nourish blood and replenish blood. The prescription can also be added with herbs such as Acorus calamus and Alpinia oxyphylla to open up the mind and refresh the mind.

2. Spleen deficiency and dampness: obesity, often accompanied by edema, shortness of breath when moving, poor appetite, fullness and stuffiness in the stomach, excessive leucorrhea, and thick and sticky texture. During menstruation, one feels mentally exhausted, the head feels heavy, the limbs feel heavy, and one feels sleepy and drowsy, and feels drowsy all day long. The tongue coating is white and greasy, and the pulse is soft and slow. The treatment is suitable for drying dampness, strengthening the spleen, replenishing qi and refreshing the mind. The preferred prescription is Tai Wu Shen Shu San (Yi Fang Ji Jie): Atractylodes lancea, dried tangerine peel, Patchouli, Magnolia officinalis, Acorus calamus, ginger, and red dates. If dampness accumulates and turns into heat, with yellow urine and a yellow and greasy tongue coating, the dosage of aromatic and dry qi-moving products should be reduced, and Scutellaria baicalensis, Gardenia jasminoides, Coix seed, and Glehnia littoralis should be added to clear away heat and resolve dampness. Such patients should take more Acorus calamus to refresh their brains and mind.

3. Kidney essence deficiency: fatigue, good sleepiness, tinnitus, deafness, and dull expression during menstruation. I usually feel lack of energy and my waist and knees are weak. In the late menstrual period, the menstrual flow is less. The tongue is pale and the pulse is deep and fine. The treatment is suitable for nourishing the kidney and replenishing essence. The preferred prescription: Heche Dazao Pills. This medicine is commercially available. Patients with cold body and limbs, frequent and clear urination at night are mostly suffering from kidney yang deficiency. They can be treated with epimedium, cooked aconite, or Yougui Pills to replenish both yin and yang.