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* Call Now! +678.942.5982
* Sleep Issues
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* Circadian Rhythm Disorder/Jet Lag
* Exploding Head Syndrome
* Insomnia
* Inspire Sleep
* 3 Types Of Insomnia
* Narcolepsy
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* Hypersomnia
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* Sleep Apnea
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* RAJESH R JASANI MD
* SARAH J HAYAT MD
* SUSMITA RAJANALA MD
* VOSUDESH K PAI MD
* Patient portal
* Services
* Sleep Consultation
* Home Sleep Study
* Sleep Disorder Education
* Sleep Study (Polysomnography)
* CPAP CLINIC
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* Duluth Sleep Doctor in Gwinnett County
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EXPLODING HEAD SYNDROME
What Is Exploding Head Syndrome (EHS)?
Exploding head syndrome is a type of sleep disorder that occurs suddenly, either
when you are beginning to fall asleep or when you wake up in the middle of the
night. This sleep disorder is characterized by hearing a loud noise or crashing
sound in your head, which is not real or heard by anyone else. Along with the
sound, EHS can also cause the patient to see flashes of light and experience
muscle spasms. Unlike the name suggests, these episodes are not painful.
Causes Of Exploding Head Syndrome
Exploding head syndrome is classified as a parasomnia, which is an undesired
event that happens while sleeping. These are a specific type of sleep behavior
referred to as a disruptive sleep-related disorder. Parasomnias can often be
passed down genetically through families.
The exact cause of this sleep problem is not known, although researchers have
developed theories. Possible causes of this condition include a brief increase
in the activity of your brain’s sensory neurons, damage in your inner ear
structures, or abnormal processes in your brain during the sleep-wake
transition. Other causes may be due to the beginning of a migraine, or side
effects from suddenly stopping anxiety or depression medications, such as SSRIs
and benzodiazepines.
Symptoms Of Exploding Head Syndrome
In addition to the loud sounds heard during the episode, exploding head syndrome
can cause other symptoms as well. These include feeling frightened or anxious
after the episode, experiencing muscle spasms while the episode is occurring,
having difficulty falling back to sleep, trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, or
waking up sweating.
These episodes vary in frequency depending on the individual who is experiencing
them. Some patients report having several episodes in one night, while others
have episodes several nights in a row followed by a lapse in episodes that can
last for weeks or months.
Testing For Exploding Head Syndrome
To determine if you are experiencing exploding head syndrome, a sleep specialist
will ask you about your episodes to see if they meet the criteria for the
condition. According to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, a
patient must meet these three criteria in order to be diagnosed with exploding
head syndrome.
The criteria are that you wake up suddenly to a loud noise or explosion in your
head, your experience is intense and you feel frightened after the episode, and
you don’t experience any physical pain during or after the episode. The sleep
specialist will also ask whether you saw any flashes of light or experienced
muscle spasms during the episode.
The sleep specialist may also order certain tests in order to rule out any other
sleep conditions. These tests include a polysomnogram, which measures your brain
and body activity while you sleep. This test records your brain waves, heart
rate, eye movements, and breathing during sleep. Other tests that may be ordered
include an MRI and an electroencephalogram (EEG), as these can measure the
electrical activity of your brain.
Your doctor will also be able to rule out other possible conditions by obtaining
your full medical history and asking questions such as if you or other family
members have any known sleep disorders, or if you have a history of headaches or
psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Treatment For Exploding Head Syndrome
Exploding head syndrome typically does not require any treatment. The condition
is harmless and does not create any feelings of pain in the patient, so it is
not dangerous nor is it a sign of another serious condition. Due to this, there
are no FDA approved medications made to specifically treat exploding head
syndrome.
However, your doctor may still choose to prescribe medication that is used to
treat other conditions. Medications that are proven to be helpful for managing
exploding head syndrome include the antiseizure medicine topiramate, the heart
disease drug nifedipine, the antidepressant amitriptyline and a drug for
obsessive-compulsive disorder, clomipramine.
How Gwinnett Sleep Can Help
Gwinnett Sleep offers services that can help diagnose any factors that may be
causing exploding head syndrome. We provide consultations, conduct sleep studies
(known as polysomnography), and offer a variety of tests as well as a CPAP
clinic. If you suspect that you may have exploding head syndrome, you should get
tested as soon as possible so you can determine if treatment is necessary. Learn
more about our services here, or schedule an appointment to talk to our doctors.
FAQS
EXPLODING HEAD SYNDROME WHILE AWAKE
Whether you’ve been dealing with sleep disturbances for years or recently began
experiencing troubling symptoms, the sleep disorder called exploding head
syndrome (EHS) can be extremely frightening and disruptive. While the cause is
still largely unknown, and little medical research has been conducted on it,
current theories offer some insight into what may trigger EHS episodes – find
out more here.
What is exploding head syndrome?
Exploding head syndrome was initially described in 1876; however, it was not
officially classified as a sleep disorder until 2005. EHS is considered
parasomnia, a disruptive type of sleep disorder in the same category as
sleepwalking and sleep terrors.
While it may sound like the title of a sci-fi movie, exploding head syndrome is
an actual medical condition that causes loud noises in your head when falling
asleep or waking up. These noises range from scary imaginary explosions to
claps, bangs, roars, screeches, gunfire sounds, and more. Even if this
phenomenon isn’t as widely discussed as other sleep conditions, such as
narcolepsy or insomnia, many people suffer from it but don’t know its name.
Experts say, “These events occur during the wake-sleep/sleep-wake transition
period and generally last less than a second. Events are often accompanied by
flashes of light and patient distress, but there is no significant associated
pain.”
While it sounds painful, it’s good to understand that other than disturbing
sleep and perhaps causing emotional distress, the jarring noises aren’t real and
do not cause physical harm to the person experiencing them or anyone nearby.
Thankfully, the prevalence of EHS is relatively low. About 10 percent of people
may experience this at least once in their lifetime. However, some encounter the
symptoms sporadically.
Symptoms of exploding head syndrome
While there aren’t many symptoms, the ones that occur can be frightening and
confusing, especially when experiencing them for the first time.
To become diagnosed with exploding head syndrome, someone must meet all of the
following criteria, according to the International Classification of Sleep
Disorders.
1. Complaints of loud noises or sensations that mimic the effects of an
explosion in the head during transition periods between sleep and
wakefulness.
2. Feelings of intense arousal, and possibly fright, following these episodes.
3. No significant physical pain during or following the episodes.
Others may encounter flashes of light and twitching muscles. Overall, the
experience only lasts about one second, although people might feel like it was
longer. Although there are hypothesized causes, there is no single known cause
for this sleep disorder.
Can exploding head syndrome occur while awake?
Simply put, no, exploding head syndrome does not occur while awake. Because
these episodes happen during the transition between sleeping and waking, to
many, it seems as if they experience EHS while awake. The symptoms of the sleep
disorder are what rouse people to wake up, often startled and confused.
Conclusion
If you’ve ever woken up to a loud noise that seems to be coming from inside your
head, you may have experienced exploding head syndrome. Although it can be
frightening, especially if you’ve never experienced it before, exploding head
syndrome is not harmful. If you’re experiencing sleep problems or disorders,
contact the caring team at Gwinnett Sleep to help. They will work with you to
find a solution so you can get the restful night’s sleep you deserve.
HOW TO STOP EXPLODING HEAD SYNDROME ?
Do you experience loud explosions in your head just as you are fading off to
sleep? Are these episodes accompanied by flashes of light and intense fear? If
yes, then you may have exploding head syndrome (EHS). While researchers
hypothesize why this strange sleep disorder occurs, there is no simple
explanation as to why about 10% of the population experience it at one point in
their lives. This unexplained phenomenon can be highly distressing for those
affected. But the good news is that there are steps you can take to help stop
EHS from occurring and get some much-needed restful sleep.
How to know if you have exploding head syndrome
Exploding head syndrome is a type of sleep disorder that occurs suddenly, either
when you are beginning to fall asleep or when you wake up in the middle of the
night. This sleep disorder is characterized by hearing a loud noise or crashing
sound in your head, which is not authentic or heard by anyone else. Along with
the sound, EHS can also cause the patient to see flashes of light and experience
muscle spasms. Unlike the name suggests, these episodes are not painful.
According to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, the following
criteria are symptoms someone must experience to be diagnosed with exploding
head syndrome.
1. Complaints of loud noises or sensations that mimic the effects of an
explosion in the head during transition periods between sleep and
wakefulness.
2. Feelings of intense arousal, and possibly fright, following these episodes.
3. No significant physical pain during or following the episodes.
Fortunately, the entire episode only lasts one to two seconds, even though it
can seem long to those who encounter them.
If you think you may have exploding head syndrome, please seek a diagnosis with
a licensed sleep specialist; do not simply assume this is what you are
experiencing. Other medical conditions have these same symptoms.
Available treatments for exploding head syndrome
As stated previously, a direct cause has not yet been connected to exploding
head syndrome; however, there are a few theories researchers believe may be
true, such as:
* A temporary increase in the activity of your brain’s sensory neurons
* Damage or dysfunction in your inner ear structures
* Abnormal attention processing in your brain during the sleep-wake transition
* An aura that occurs before a migraine
* Side effects from suddenly stopping selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
While the FDA has officially approved nothing, some sleep specialists prescribe
a few different medications known to treat the symptoms of EHS. These are
topiramate, nifedipine, amitriptyline, and clomipramine, which are all used to
treat other conditions.
ConclusionAs an alternative or in addition to medication, people with EHS can do
some things at home to help stop the disorder. Practice de-stressing techniques
such as yoga, meditation, baths, or reading before bed. Keeping good sleep
habits may also help reduce or stop the symptoms.
Ultimately, speaking to a sleep specialist before attempting any at-home remedy
is wise. Be 100% sure EHS is what is going on and not something else more
dire.
Conclusion
Exploding head syndrome may not have one specific cause, but that doesn’t mean
there aren’t any possible treatments to try to stop it from happening. If you
regularly experience EHS or have only had it a few times and are worried, the
best option is to consult a sleep specialist who can help you create a treatment
plan. At Gwinnett Sleep, our specialists are dedicated to helping our patients
get the rest they need and deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we
can help you treat your sleep disorder.
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