Instah > Sleep Disorders > Exploding head syndrome
Exploding head syndrome
Exploding head syndrome is rare and is an unusual condition which is generally described as parasomnia. This condition disrupts sleep and involves sleep walking, night terrors as well as myoclonic jerks. This condition occurs when one is usually going off to sleep, although in some cases it has been described while a person is awake.
One experiences a loud bang or explosion noise that usually occurs in the head, resulting in total wakefulness, panic or being potentially upset. Those experiencing exploding head syndrome do not experience pain, when they hear the loud noise. Few people have described as flashes of light occurring along with the explosion. Some have such symptoms even during the day.
This condition is of course relatively rare, but the medical community has some knowledge of it.
The attacks can increase or perhaps even decrease with time. Those affected feel distress or fear after the attack.
The actual cause of course is not known but it is felt that minor seizures affecting the temporal lobe or perhaps due to sudden shifting of one’s middle ear component.
More about exploding head syndrome..
It is indeed difficult to predict at what rate the explosions occur. In the case of some people it occurs frequently, maybe up to few times in a week. On the other hand there are others who experience it once in about a month. The syndrome can also disappear completely without the help of any treatment. Women are prone to the condition twice more than men and the average of the onset of the health condition is during the late 50s. There is no firm link that has been established between conditions such as exploding head syndrome and migraine, although some cases have reported having both.
Treatment of exploding head syndrome
There is a dispute about the treatment mode for this health condition. In case condition is not disrupting sleep of the affected person or much alarm to the person, then perhaps no treatment is required. Those who would prefer the symptoms to go away can use the drug clomipramine. This happens to be antidepressant of the tricyclic class, which is usually used to treat several disorders such as enuresis as well as obsessive compulsive disorder.
If stress is causing the condition then it is better to relax, do yoga or have hot water bath before going off to sleep.
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