Is exploding head syndrome a mental illness?
Despite its scary-sounding name, exploding head syndrome usually isn’t a serious health problem. While its exact cause is unknown, it belongs to a group of conditions called parasomnias, which are sleep disorders that wake you up from a partial or deep sleep.
Is exploding head syndrome a medical term?
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a parasomnia sleep disorder defined by episodes that typically occur during the transition period between sleep and wakefulness1. These episodes feature imagined sounds or sensations2 that create the perception of a loud explosion and possibly a flash of light, in the sleeper’s head.
What is the medical name for exploding head syndrome?
Exploding head syndrome. Other names. Episodic cranial sensory shock, snapping of the brain, auditory sleep start. Specialty. Sleep medicine.
Can medication cause exploding head syndrome?
The loud noise you hear may not be exploding head syndrome. It could be a result of something else, like: Some other sleep disorder. A side effect of a medicine you take.
Is Exploding Head Syndrome serious?
Exploding head syndrome is a sleep disorder that causes people to hear loud noises when they transition in or out of deep sleep. Although hearing loud noises can cause distress, panic, or fear in some people, exploding head syndrome is not a severe or life threatening condition.
Can exploding head syndrome be cured?
There is also no specific treatment, although a variety of medications, including anti-seizure drugs and calcium-channel blockers, have been used to alleviate the symptoms.
When does exploding head syndrome occur?
It is not known how many people have exploding head syndrome. It may be more common in women than in men. It can begin at all ages. It has even been reported as early as less than 10 years of age.
What is it called when your brain explodes?
Exploding head syndrome is a rare parasomnia in which affected persons awaken from sleep with the sensation of a loud noise. A parasomnia involves undesired events that come along with sleep. Exploding head syndrome has also been described in the following ways: A painless loud bang. A clash of cymbals.
How long does exploding head syndrome last?
They can also occur many times in one night. Having many episodes can greatly disturb your sleep. Some people report having a cluster of attacks over several nights. Then a few weeks or months will pass before it occurs again.
Is exploding head syndrome serious?
Can you survive FFI?
FFI is usually fatal in 6-36 months. Almost all cases of FFI occur due to a specific variant in the PRNP gene and are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. Diagnosis is based on the symptoms, clinical exam, sleep study, and imaging studies. The results of genetic testing can help confirm the diagnosis.
How do you cure exploding head syndrome?
Clomipramine may be used to treat exploding head syndrome. Sleepwalking can be an example of parasomnia . Anyone who suspects they have exploding head syndrome should see a doctor. Extreme migraines typically occur with exploding head syndrome. Anti-depressants may be helpful in treating exploding head syndrome.
What is exploding head syndrome sleep disorder?
Exploding head syndrome: an unusual form of parasomnia (type of sleep disturbance) in which a person perceives loud noises (such as a gunshot, explosion, or crash) when awakening or falling asleep. Some estimates suggest that up to 10% of the population may have experienced this phenomenon.
What is explosive head syndrome?
Exploding head syndrome (EHS) is a disorder characterized by the perception of loud noises (e.g. a bomb explosion, gunshot or cymbal crash) when going to sleep or awakening.
Is exploding head syndrome dangerous?
Fortunately, exploding head syndrome is not as dangerous as it sounds. But it is a real condition, and researchers are finally beginning to seriously investigate the rare and little-understood sleep disorder. People with exploding head syndrome hear extremely loud noises — a gunshot,…