Narcolepsy Center - Newton, MA
Newton Sleep Specialist Doctors for NarcolepsyType of Physician: Sleep Specialist What is a Sleep Specialist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or Psychiatry & Neurology; practitioners are trained in the diagnosis and management of clinical conditions that occur during sleep, that disturb sleep, or that are affected by dis Specialty: Sleep Medicine Common Name: Sleep Medicine Sleep Specialist Doctors in Newton * Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Boston Medical Center Pulmonary  Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital  Caritas Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Sleep Health Centers  Harbor Medical & Associates  Lung Specialists of The Merrimack Valley  The Physicians of 200 Lincoln St  Jayant G Phadke MD  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  UMass Memorial Pulmonary Center  Arun B Rajan MD Newton, MassachusettsUpcoming Local Events2012-06-10
2012-06-10
2012-06-16
2012-07-03
2012-07-28
2012-08-19
2012-09-22
2012-09-30
2012-10-21
2012-11-11
NarcolepsyWhat is narcolepsy?Narcolepsy is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is the main symptom and is present in 100% of patients with narcolepsy. Other primary symptoms of narcolepsy include:
Additional symptoms include disturbed nocturnal sleep and automatic behavior (patients carry out certain actions without conscious awareness). All of the symptoms of narcolepsy may be present in various combinations and degrees of severity. Narcolepsy usually begins in teenagers or young adults and affects both sexes equally. The first symptom to appear is excessive daytime sleepiness, which may remain unrecognized for a long time in that it develops gradually over time. The other symptoms can follow excessive daytime sleepiness by months or years.
How common is narcolepsy?The prevalence of narcolepsy is similar to that of Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. In the United States, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates narcolepsy affects one in every 2,000 people. However, in some countries (for example, Israel), the prevalence of narcolepsy is much lower (one per 500,000) while in other countries (for example, Japan), it is much higher (one per 600). The American Sleep Association estimates that approximately 125,000 to 200,000 Americans suffer from narcolepsy, but only fewer than 50,000 are properly diagnosed. Narcolepsy often remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed for several years. This may occur because physicians do not consider the diagnosis of narcolepsy frequently enough. They may think of narcolepsy only in people who have the main symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy may not be considered in the evaluation o... Recommended Reading Related to NarcolepsyWhat is sleep apnea?Sleep apnea is a disorder characterized by a reduction or pause of breathing (airflow) during sleep. It is common among adults but rare among children. Although a diagnosis of sleep apnea often will be suspected on the basis of a person's medical history, there are several tests that can be used to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment of sleep apnea may be either surgical or nonsurgical. An apnea is a period of time during which breathing stops or is markedly reduced. In simplified terms, an apnea occurs when a person stops breathing for 10 seconds or more. If you stop breathing completely or take less than 25% of a normal breath for a period that lasts 10 seconds or more, this is an apnea. This definition includes complete stoppage of airflow. Other definitions of apnea that may be used include at least a 4% drop in oxygen in the blood, a direct result of the reduction in the transfer of oxygen into the blood when breathing stops. ...Other Related Narcolepsy ArticlesEmergency Contact for Newton
Nearby Newton Hospitals *Newton Wellesley Hospital Caritas St Elizabeth's Medical Center Franciscan Hospital for Children Kindred Hospital Boston McLean Hospital Bournewood Hospital Arbour HRI Hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Needham Mount Auburn Hospital VA Boston Healthcare System West Roxbury Campus Faulkner Hospital Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged VA Boston Healthcare System Jamaica Plain Campus Arbour Hospital Brigham & Women's Hospital Dana Farber Cancer Institute Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Children's Hospital Boston New England Baptist Hospital Youville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center Cambridge Hospital Lemuel Shattuck Hospital Massachusetts Mental Health Center  Radius Specialty Hospital Boston  Somerville Hospital  M I T Medical  Boston Medical Center  Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary  Massachusetts General Hospital  Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston Burn Hospital  Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital  Tufts New England Medical Center  Kindred Specialty Hospital Natick  MetroWest Medical Center Leonard Morse Hospital  Lawrence Memorial Hospital  Caritas Carney Hospital  HEALTHSOUTH New England Rehabilitation Hospital  Milton Hospital  Westwood Lodge Hospital  Winchester Hospital  Whidden Memorial Hospital  Lawrence F Quigley Memorial Hospital  Lahey Clinic Medical Center  Caritas Norwood Hospital  Melrose Wakefield Hospital  Emerson Hospital  MetroWest Medical Center Framingham Union Hospital  Quincy Medical Center  Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital  Massachusetts Hospital School  Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital  New England Sinai Hospital & Rehabilitation Center  Kindred Specialty Hospital Braintree  North Shore Medical Center  South Shore Hospital  Kindred Specialty Hospital Stoughton  UMass Memorial Marlborough Hospital  Caritas Good Samaritan Medical Center  Tewksbury Hospital  Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Westborough  Kindred Hospital Boston North Shore  Salem Hospital & the Birthplace  North Shore Children's Hospital  Shaughnessy-Kaplan Rehabilitation Hospital  Boston VA Healthcare System Brockton  Westborough State Hospital  Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital  Isham Health Center  Milford Regional Medical Center  Saints Medical Center  HC Solomon Mental Health Center  Lowell General Hospital  Beverly Hospital  Nashoba Valley Medical Center  UMass Memorial Clinton Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Narcolepsy by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
13 articles-
Depression
- Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
-
Stress
- Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
-
Sleep Apnea
- Sleep apnea is defined as a reduction or cessation of breathing during sleep. The three types of sleep apnea are central apnea, obstructive apnea (OSA), and a mixture of central and obstructive apnea. Central sleep apnea is caused by a failure of the brain to activate the muscles of breathing during sleep. OSA is caused by the collapse of the airway during sleep. OSA is diagnosed and evaluated through patient history, physical examination and polysomnography. There are many complications related to obstructive sleep apnea. Treatments are surgical and non-surgical.
-
Sleep
- A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
-
Insomnia Treatment (Sleep Aids and Stimulants)
- Insomnia is difficulty in falling or staying asleep, the absence of restful sleep, or poor quality of sleep. Insomnia is a symptom and not a disease. The most common causes of insomnia are medications, psychological conditions, environmental changes and stressful events. Treatments may include non-drug treatments, over-the-counter medicines, and/or prescription medications.
-
Sleep Related Breathing Disorders
- Sleep-related breathing disorders are characterized by disruptions of normal breathing patterns that only occur during sleep. Snoring and sleep apnea are the most common sleep-related breathing disorders.
-
Insomnia
- Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
-
Hypersomnia
- Hypersomnia is a condition where a person has excessive daytime sleepiness and trouble staying awake during the day. Treatment for hypersomnia includes medication, CPAP machines, and lifestyle changes.
-
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder
- Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder characterized by rhythmic movements of the limbs during sleep. The movements typically involve the legs, but upper extremity movements may also occur. Movements occur periodically throughout the night and can fluctuate in severity from one night to the next. They tend to cluster in episodes that last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. These movements are very different from the normal spasms, called hypnic myoclonia, that we often experience initially while trying to fall asleep.
-
Problem Sleepiness
- When sleepiness interferes with daily routines and activities, or reduces the ability to function, it is called "problem sleepiness." A person can have problem sleepiness without realizing it. Symptoms of problem sleepiness include: consistently don't get enough sleep, or poor quality sleep, fall asleep while driving, struggle to stay awake when inactive (like watching TV or reading), have difficulty paying attention or concentrating at work, school, or home, have poor performance problems at work or school, have difficulty remembering things, have slowed responses, have difficulty controlling your emotions, and/or if you have to take naps on most days.
-
Fatigue
- Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, drug abuse, and more. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
-
Sleep and Sleep Disorders in Children and Teenagers
- Sleep needs in children and teenagers depends on the age of the child. Sleep disorders in children such as sleep apnea, parasomnias, confusional arousals, night terrors, nightmares, narcolepsy, and sleepwalking can effect a child's or teen's sleep. Healthy sleep habits and good sleep hygiene can help your infant, toddler, preschooler, tween, or teenager get a good night's sleep.
-
Sleep Paralysis
- Sleep paralysis is a condition that causes a person to feel as if he or she is awake but is unable to move. Lack of sleep, sleep disorders, use of certain medications, and other factors may be related to sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis usually does not require treatment; however, treating underlying conditions may help sleep paralysis.
-
Depression
-
Medications
23 articles -
Procedures & Tests
0 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
0 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
1 articles -
Health News
1 articles -
Health Features
2 articles
