Having frequent nightmares that result in a damp pillow, despite not sweating anywhere else, might be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease, a Taichung-based neurologist said.
Such symptoms present a useful diagnostic indicator, as early diagnosis of Parkinson’s results in better treatment, said Yeh Shou-cheng (葉守正), director of neurology at Cheng Ching Hospital’s Chung Kang Branch.
To illustrate what to look out for, Yeh gave the example of a 59-year-old woman who visited his clinic for treatment.
Photo courtesy of the Chung Kang Branch of Cheng Ching Hospital
When the woman came in, her face was expressionless and her blinking was unnatural, so he asked her to touch her index fingers to her thumbs in a test of basic motor function, Yeh said.
A person can ordinarily perform the movement 15 times or more in five seconds, but she was only able to do 10, he said.
When he asked her to raise both arms, he found that her right arm was trembling slightly.
He then administered a dopamine transporter scan (DaTscan), which is used to help diagnose Parkinson’s disease before more severe symptoms arise.
After evaluating her symptoms and abnormal DaTscan results, Yeh diagnosed the woman with early-stage Parkinson’s disease.
The woman said that over the past six months, she had been having recurring nightmares and waking up in a sweat, but only from her head, along with a dry mouth.
After ruling out autoimmune issues such as Sjogren’s syndrome for the dryness, Yeh determined that it was caused by neurodegeneration.
As her body was unable to produce sweat, the sweating became concentrated on her head, he said.
Sweating abnormalities are a symptom of early Parkinson’s due to the degeneration of autonomic nerves, he said, adding that detailed differential diagnosis is required to avoid any mistakes, as Parkinson’s patients should not take certain drugs that affect the immune system.
Frequent nightmares could also be a sign of Parkinson’s, as the disease is associated with low concentrations of dopamine, which helps regulate sleep, he added.
If the woman had not come in for treatment, she would have experienced hand tremors and difficulty moving after about two years, Yeh said.
To treat Parkinson’s disease, aside from certain medications, Yeh recommended exercising often.
He also recommended eating more antioxidants, such as broccoli, spinach and other dark greens, in addition to foods high in beta-carotene, such as seaweed, cherry tomatoes and carrots.
Research has shown that nearly 90 percent of people who shout or move around when experiencing nightmares develop Parkinson’s after 10 to 12 years, he said, adding that early discovery is the biggest challenge for doctors.
Yeh said that on average, he diagnoses more than 50 cases of early-stage Parkinson’s per year.
Men and women are about equally likely to develop the disease, which is almost always diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 60, he said.
The most common indicators are dryness in the mouth and eyes, insomnia, anxiety, constipation, olfactory disorders and sweating from the head, Yeh said, urging anyone with these symptoms to see a doctor as soon as possible.
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