Cataplexy occurs when the circuit responsible for muscle relaxation during REM sleep is mistakenly activated during wakefulness. Laughter and surprise are the most common triggering emotions, and when overwork, sleep deprivation, and stress have accumulated, the threshold lowers and it can appear even during ordinary conversation. Because there is a risk of falls and accidents, when attacks are frequent it is important to avoid hazardous environments and to inform those close to you about your condition.

Oriental Medicine Clinic Perspective

In Korean medicine, cataplexy can be connected to a phenomenon in which liver qi (肝氣) is shaken by sudden emotion and the energy collapses abruptly. We approach it by using prescriptions that stabilize the qi and blood of the heart and liver to raise tolerance so the patient is less swayed by emotional stimuli, and by supplementing spleen qi to build the overall foundation for maintaining muscle tone.