Cataplexy is
a sudden and temporary episode of muscle weakness or loss of muscle control,
typically manifested as the head slumping down, the jaw dropping, slurred
speech etc, triggered by emotional reaction such as laughter and anger.
Cataplexy is
one of the symptoms of narcolepsy. Other narcoleptic symptoms include sleep
paralysis, excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep attack. Narcolepsy is a
chronic neurological disorder due to the inability of part of brain to regulate
the sleep-wake cycle normally.
Cataplexy
affects around 70% of people who have narcolepsy. It is believed that the
changes in body immune system that leads to the destruction of neurotransmitter
hypocritin resulting in the occurrence of cataplexy. Because the attack of
cataplexy could be sudden, lasts just a few seconds or many minutes when
patient is still conscious, a full-blown cataplectic attack could be quite
frighten. Family members should learn to recognize the onset of attack, to help
prevent the falls or injuries. There is present no cure for cataplexy.
Medication is only for symptomatic relief; however the prolonged use can induce
many side effects.
Traditional
Chinese medicine believes that ying-qi and wei-qi disharmony and imbalance of
yin and yang. Ying-qi is running though Yin Qiao vessel and wei-qi is running
though Yang Qiao vessel. Both Yin Qiao vessel and Yang Qiao vessel are part of
body defence system, equal to immune system in Western medicine. Modulation the
activity of both vessels by stimulating acupoints on the vessels leads to
rebalance body’s ying-qi and wei-qi and yin and yang and improve cataplectic
symptoms.
Reference:
Zheng H et al., [Thirty-two cases of narcolepsy
treated by acupuncture of regulatimg nutrient qi and defense qi]. Zhongguo Zhen
Jiu. 2014 Feb;34(2):197-8. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24796068
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