Is exploding head syndrome a seizure?

Is exploding head syndrome a seizure?

EHS is a benign, uncommon, predominately nocturnal parasomnia that can mimic primary and secondary headache disorders along with seizures. No treatment is generally required as the condition is self-limiting. Reassurance to the patient is often all that is needed.

Is Exploding Head normal?

Your outlook is good. Exploding head syndrome isn’t dangerous and isn’t a sign of another serious health condition. With some reassurance from your health care provider, education about this condition and control of any triggers or other sleep problems, your episodes should completely disappear with time.

Does exploding head syndrome go away?

Most people diagnosed with EHS will receive a good prognosis. The disorder is not associated with any additional conditions that consequently occur. With proper treatment and time, EHS episodes may completely disappear.

How do you deal with exploding head syndrome?

Clomipramine, an antidepressant, is a common treatment for exploding head syndrome. Calcium channel blockers may also help. See your doctor if you think you need medicine for it.

What triggers exploding head syndrome?

The exact cause of exploding head syndrome remains unclear. However, some theories suggest that it could result from minor seizures in the temporal lobe or parts of the middle ear moving during the night. Fear, emotional stress, or anxiety may also contribute to the condition.

Is exploding head syndrome a mental illness?

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. “The sound is terrifying — super loud, like someone has broken in,” Marie Raymond of Seattle told NBC News.

Can anxiety cause exploding head syndrome?

Possible causes of exploding head syndrome include other sleep disorders, sleep deprivation, and high levels of stress or anxiety. A person should speak with a doctor or a sleep specialist if their symptoms significantly affect their quality of sleep or cause emotional distress.

Can exploding head syndrome happen while awake?

Although they’re only hallucinations, which are imagined, the noises in exploding head syndrome feel very realistic at the time they occur. These noises may jolt you awake and keep you from falling back to sleep. It might happen only once, or you may have recurring experiences.

Is Exploding Head Syndrome a mental illness?

How often does exploding head syndrome happen?

It’s estimated to occur at least once in about 10 percent of the population and appears to be more common in women and older adults. Exploding head syndrome doesn’t appear to cause direct physical harm.