Hypnic headache

Hypnic headache
SpecialtyNeurology
Duration2 days - 1 week
Frequency20%
Deaths3K

Hypnic headaches are benign primary headaches that affect the elderly, with an average age of onset at 63 ± 11 years.[1] They are moderate, throbbing, bilateral or unilateral headaches that wake the sufferer from sleep once or multiple times a night.[2] They typically begin a few hours after sleep begins and can last from 15–180 min.[3] There is normally no nausea, photophobia, phonophobia or autonomic symptoms associated with the headache. They commonly occur at the same time every night possibly linking the headaches with circadian rhythm, but polysomnography has recently revealed that the onset of hypnic headaches may be associated with REM sleep.[1]

  1. ^ a b Evers S, Goadsby PJ (March 2003). "Hypnic headache: clinical features, pathophysiology, and treatment". Neurology. 60 (6): 905–9. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000046582.21771.9c. PMID 12654950. S2CID 20201772.
  2. ^ Gould JD, Silberstein SD (December 1997). "Unilateral hypnic headache: a case study". Neurology. 49 (6): 1749–51. doi:10.1212/wnl.49.6.1749. PMID 9409389. S2CID 31682748.
  3. ^ Goadsby, Peter J.; Silberstein, Stephen D.; Lipton, Richard B. (2002). Headache in clinical practice. London: Martin Dunitz. ISBN 978-1-901865-88-2.