Exploding Head Syndrome

Have you ever felt like listening to an extremely loud sound like an explosion or a pop? If the answer is yes, then you probably have suffered at some point in your life from the explosive head syndrome.

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What is Exploding Head Syndrome? 

It is a psychological condition in which the person hears loud sounds, caused by his imagination, or when he feels in an "explosive" way so to speak when he is in one of the stages of sleep (usually in the first stage), Or at the moment in which it awakens, despite all this sensation and loud noises, it is known that this does not cause any pain, although it is quite distressing. This syndrome is classified as a sleep disorder by the ICSD. 

Its causes are not known, however, many scientists have linked the condition of this syndrome with stress, fatigue and lack of sleep. It is also known that women are for some reason more prone to suffer this type of "explosions". It should be noted that such "explosion" sensations can occur frequently or only once every time. The mechanism, like its causes, is unknown, although it is believed that it may be related to the sudden movement of one of the components of the ear. It is more common than is believed, and young people are more likely to suffer from it. 

Origins 

The writer and physicist Silas Weir Mitchell, known for discovering Causalgia and Mitchell's Disease (Erythromyalgia), was the first to talk about the exploding head syndrome in 1876, but he described it as "sensory discharges" in one patient. Later, in the 1920's, the term "explosive head syndrome" was first used by Robert Amstrong-Jones. Then in 1989 the syndrome was described in much more detail by neurologist John M.S. Pearce. 

Relationship with sleep paralysis 

Explosive head syndrome is often associated with sleep paralysis, another parasomnia where one has the feeling of being awake but without being able to move. Both usually occur due to a failure between the transition from one stage to another (being awake to sleep) 

Treatment 

Consuming antidepressants, exercising, reading a book before bedtime can help make the symptoms of the syndrome go away, or at least lessen its effects and thus have a pleasant sleep.

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References

- http://www.muyinteresante.es/curiosidades/preguntas-respuestas/ique-es-el-sindrome-de-la-cabeza-explosiva (Spanish)

- http://www.vix.com/es/btg/curiosidades/5414/que-es-el-sindrome-de-la-cabeza-explosiva (Spanish)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_head_syndrome

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silas_Weir_Mitchell

-  http://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2015/04/150414_vert_sindrome_cabeza_explosiva_salud_ac (Spanish)