The worrying reason you should go to a doctor if you've suddenly started having nightmares Doctors uncover 'sinister' link between nightmares and autoimmune illnesses READ MORE: Six foods cancer experts want you to stop eating By Shania Obrien For Daily Mail Australia Published: 00:28, 30 May 2024 | Updated: 00:28, 30 May 2024 e-mail 2 View comments A sudden rise in the frequency of nightmares and hallucinations could point to something sinister going on with your health. A sudden spike in nightmares and hallucinations has been linked to early stages of autoimmune illnesses like lupus erythematosus (SLE), which impacts more than 20,000 people in Australia and New Zealand . Patients reported horrific visions of their 'skin falling off' and 'creatures from Alice in Wonderland coming to life' before they were diagnosed with various autoimmune diseases; lupus was the most common.
Lupus is a condition where the body's immune system, which normally protects it from threats like viruses and bacteria, mistakenly attacks healthy tissue instead. 'Rheumatologists are acutely aware that SLE can effect any organ in the body, including the brain, which is called neuropsychiatric SLE,' Dr Sam Whittle, President of the Australian Rheumatology Association, told FEMAIL. Dr Sam Whittle, President of the Australian Rheumatology Association What is lupus? Lupus is a condition where the body's immune system, which normally protects it from threats like viruses and bacteria, mistakenly attacks heal.
