Hallucinations: Difference between revisions

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*The perception of auditory, visual, tactile, or gustatory sensations without an actual stimulus
*The perception of auditory, visual, tactile, or gustatory sensations without an actual stimulus
*Etiology may be from underlying psychiatric disorder or organic cause.
*Etiology may be from underlying psychiatric disorder or organic cause.
''In non-auditory hallucinations, assume organic pathology until proven otherwise.''


==Clinical Features==


==Differential Diagnosis==
==Differential Diagnosis==
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==Diagnosis==
==Diagnosis==
''Workup should be targeted toward specific diagnosis. Cranial imaging is only useful if localized neurological findings or [[Headache Red Flags | headache red flags]] ''
''Workup should be targeted toward specific diagnosis. Cranial imaging is only useful if localized neurological findings or [[Headache Red Flags | headache red flags]] ''
 
''In non-auditory hallucinations, assume organic pathology until proven otherwise.''
*If concerned for suicidal or unknown toxic ingestion:
*If concerned for suicidal or unknown toxic ingestion:
**Aspirin
**Aspirin
**Tylenol level
**Tylenol level
**ECG
**ECG


==Management==
==Management==

Revision as of 12:28, 1 June 2015

Background

  • The perception of auditory, visual, tactile, or gustatory sensations without an actual stimulus
  • Etiology may be from underlying psychiatric disorder or organic cause.

Clinical Features

Differential Diagnosis

Organic Causes

Psychiatric Causes [1]

Diagnosis

Workup should be targeted toward specific diagnosis. Cranial imaging is only useful if localized neurological findings or headache red flags In non-auditory hallucinations, assume organic pathology until proven otherwise.

  • If concerned for suicidal or unknown toxic ingestion:
    • Aspirin
    • Tylenol level
    • ECG


Management

  • Treat the underlying pathology.
  • In the case of Alcohol Withdrawl Hallucinosis, no standard therapy has been established,[2] although tx with neuroleptics (e.g. Haldol) has shown some benefit. [3] Also continue to treat the alcohol withdrawal.

See Also

Sources

  1. Visual Hallucinations: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment. PMID PMC2660156
  2. Neuroleptic treatment of alcohol hallucinosis: case series. PMID 18030655
  3. Alcohol-induced hallucinosis. Clinical aspects, pathophysiology and therapy. PMID 9064548