exploding head syndrome


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A condition in which a person experiences a tremendously loud noise often with flashes of light, unaccompanied by pain, which seems to originate from inside the head, likened to an explosion, roar, crashing waves, loud screams or a ringing noise, most often occurring within an hour or two of falling asleep, unrelated to dreams, as it can occur while awake. Several attacks may occur over days to weeks followed by months of remission. Sufferers often feel a sense of fear and anxiety post attack, accompanied by tachycardia, dyspnea, hearing loss, tinnitus, heart palpitations. They are more common when the patient is under stress or exhausted
Management Clomipramine may be used, but the condition usually resolves spontaneously

exploding head syndrome

A rare sleep disturbance in which people awaken just as they are falling asleep because they hear a loud bang or clang, which may cause anxiety and contribute to insomnia. The sound is not accompanied by headache.
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References in periodicals archive ?
Exploding head syndrome. Sleep Med Rev 2014 Dec; 18(6):489-493.
Exploding head syndrome: six new cases and review of the literature.
Exploding head syndrome with co-morbid sleep apnea
In addition, less common, but equally important disorders, such as exploding head syndrome, sleep-related groaning (catathrenia) and sleep-related eating disorder will be discussed briefly.
Parasomnias: an overview
Many unusual sleep disorders are described including sleep related groaning, sleep related hallucinations, sleep related eating disorders, and exploding head syndrome. However, one newly described sleep disorder, which did not make the final cut, is sexsomnia.
Sexsomnia
Exploding Head Syndrome The patient believes there are loud noises - like bomb explosions, gunfire, or cymbals crashing - but these noises are only happening inside the patient's own head.
Doctor, doctor, I feel a bit odd.. AS A TARDY WORKER IS DIAGNOSED WITH 'CHRONIC LATENESS SYNDROME', HERE ARE SOME OTHER WEIRD BUT TRUE AILMENTS
She finally saw a neurologist who told her she has a complaint called "exploding head syndrome".
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