Jarred awakes from a strait sleep by a “ shotgun blast , a thunderbolt . . . the clash of cymbals , a lightning strike or the sound of every doorway in the business firm slamming . ” As with others who have his circumstance , sufferers of exploding point syndrome ( EHS ) wake terrified , only to realize the noise was just a figment of their mental imagery .
Although no pain in the neck is associated with such an event , those afflicted with the sickness will awake in “ a cold sweat [ with ] laboured breathing and . . . a rapid heart rate . ” consider to be have-to doe with to stress , the disorder typically take place either “ just before deep sleep [ or ] sometimes come out of deep sleep . ”
EHS generally happens in clusters “ over the trend of a few days [ and ] will then melt for months – or year – on end . ” Experts check that although upshot can be disturbing , the condition is “ only benignant and [ some think ] quite mutual but underreported . ”
First documented in 1920 as “ snapping head syndrome , ” the circumstance receive more serious care in 1989 when neurologist J.M.S. Pearce try the clinical features of50 patient role dealing with the upset :
[ Although ] some start in childhood . . . the common age of onset remains mediate and old age . . . . The figure of episodes of explosion is . . . variable . Some write up 2 to 4 attacks follow by keep up or full remission , others have more frequent tone-beginning up to 7 in one night , for several night each workweek and may then remit for several months . . .
Among the symptom described by patients include dart lights and “ a curious sensation as if they had halt ventilation and had to make a measured effort to emit again – an uncomfortable pant . ” Although 10 % of those in the study also had a history of sick headache and 2 % suffer from epilepsy , there was no indication that this sleep disorder was related to these conditions .
In 1991 , Sachs & Svanborg made “ polygraphic recordings [ with ] EEG , electrooculograms , and submental electromyograms ( DMB ) ” of six patient with some interesting final result :
Five of the six cases who undergo daytime polysomnography slept during parts of the transcription in stages 1 - 2 . Only two reported attack of explosions . One patient had two attacks while she was alive and relaxed . . . . In . . . her attacks there was . . . an alerting effect . The other case report after the transcription session that he had experience an plosion during quietus . According to his EEG , he had not , in fact , slept at all during the transcription . . . .[i ]
More recently , in a 2010 study to determine the effectivity of topiramate ( an anticonvulsant used to do by seizure ) , it was noted that the 39 year - old distaff affected role ’s “ female parent and daughter have exchangeable symptomatology , raising the possibility that [ EHS ] may be transmitted . ”
Concluding that topiramate minify the intensity of EHS events but did not diminish its absolute frequency , the discipline ’s authors noted thatother helpful drug therapieshave included clonesapam , nifedipine , flunarizine and clomipramnine . Drugs that have been unsuccessful in the treatment of EHS include amitriptyline , doxepin , Surmontil and citalopram .
In 2013 , a guinea pig field of a 57 year - honest-to-goodness man reckon andruled out a variety of potential effort of EHS :
Nocturnal head ache syndromes include hypnic head ache , cluster headaches , and migraine . . . usually induce the patient role to awaken with an actual headache , which our affected role did not have . likewise , cephalgias [ vivid cephalalgia ] occurring from . . . space lodge in lesions , or obstructive sleep apnea [ were not found ] . . . . Nocturnal seizures are prone to occur in the non - rapid oculus front slumber , but affected role are mostly amnestic about the seizures . . . our patient had a clear recall of the consequence . . . and with a normal EEG . . . .
The authors of the 2013 study think thatpossible explanation for EHSinclude :
A sudden movement of a in-between ear constituent of the Eustachian subway , or perhaps a brief secular lobe complex fond seizure ( though EEG subject field have generally been reported as normal ) . There is a correlation with stress or extreme fatigue . EHS has been link to rapid withdrawal from benzodiazepines and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor ( which our patient was not taking ) .
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Bonus Facts :
harmonise to the Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) , between 50 and 70 million grownup in the United States endure from either a “ sleep or wakefulness upset . ”
In a 2009 written report of unhealthy and other sleep behavior , of the nearly 75,000 adults follow , over 35 % slept less than seven hours each night . More shockingly : “ 37.9 % reported accidentally fall asleep during the day at least once in the preceding month , and 4.7 % report nodding off or shine asleep while drive at least once in the preceding calendar month . ”
It is estimated that “ drowsy driving ” is the drive of over 1,500 deaths and about 40,000 other injuries each yr in the U.S.
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