Treatments for Narcolepsy

The treatment and management of narcolepsy involves lifestyle changes and medications.

The goals of treatment include:

Improving daytime alertness
Minimizing or eliminating troublesome symptoms such as cataplexy, hallucinations at the beginning or end of sleep, and sleep paralysis

Treatment involves the following:

At this time, there are no surgical procedures for the treatment of narcolepsy.

References

Goetz CG, Pappert EJ. Textbook of Clinical Neurology . Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders Company; 1999.

Narcolepsy. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/nar/nar%5Fwhat.html . Updated November 2008. Accessed April 7, 2009.

Revision Information

Reviewer: Rimas Lukas, MD
Review Date: 09/2012
Update Date: 00/91/2012

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.