Causes and risk factors
Hallucination can occur as a result of underlying psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, dementia, and delirium. Other causes include old age, brain atrophy, substance abuse, inadequate sleep, side effects of medications used to treat Parkinson disease, depression, psychosis, and epilepsy. Hallucinations can occur during high fever, migraine, seizure. Diseases that can cause hallucinations are rabies, puerperal psychosis, delirium tremens, Lewy body dementia, etc.
Clinical presentation
There are several kinds of presentations of hallucinations. They are – visual hallucination in which the affected person sees things that are not really present. Auditory hallucinations where the affected person hears voices or sounds that are imaginary. Olfactory hallucination where the affected person smells odor that are not really present. Tactile hallucination, the affected person feels that something is touching or moving inside the body. Gustatory hallucination is a false perception of taste without a stimulus. Command hallucination where the person hears voices that command them to do things, either benign or harmful to self or others.
Investigation
Medical history by the patient and clinical examination by the psychiatrist or psychologist helps in diagnosis. Tests like blood, urine, and brain scan are carried out. Imaging studies such as MRI brain may be useful for further evaluation.
Treatment
Treatment depends upon the underlying cause. Antipsychotic medications are given if the symptoms are worsened. Psychological counseling and psychotherapy is required if the cause of hallucination is a psychiatric illness. Additionally, adequate sleep and measures to manage stress levels are necessary. Meditation will also contribute to the treatment.
Other Modes of treatment
The other modes of treatment can also be effective in treating hallucinations.
Homoeopathy is a science which deals with individualization and considers a person in a holistic way. This science can be helpful in combating the symptoms. Similarly, the Ayurvedic system of medicine which uses herbal medicines and synthetic derivates is also found to be effective in treating hallucinations.
