Huge head jerks just before falling asleep
 

Well, last night I got back one of my more troublesome symptoms. Each time I started to fall asleep, I'd get a huge head jerk (sometimes it would take my head off my pillow). It's very disconcerting, and somehow different from a regular myoclonic jerk (where usually your leg thrusts out). I almost have a lightheaded feeling during/after. It kept me awake all night. Just wondering if others have had this.

It's like a mini spasm involving my entire head. It's not like the normal sleep start that involves a limb. Has anyone had any myoclonic jerks in their head before? After it happened twice tonight while I was trying to fall asleep, I just got up because I didn't want it to happen again.

I have experience this is it is also right when in trying to fall asleep. I'll get a bad headache get some jerks and then get whole body jerks and contractions. I'm seeing my Doctor tomorrow to discuss it and will kelp you posted.

It seems similar to 'Sympathetic Storms' you can google it.

Is this a new symptom? How long ago was your initial injury? And how long do they last and can you control them?

Galaxy,

I do have that happen...not every night but it is just as I doze off and it continues to happen every time I hit that state of sleep or relax. I end up responding the same way as you, I get up and it takes hours to finally nod off.

It seems to me to be much coarser movements...not a simple twitch.

Bud

I have this as well. I found that sleeping on my side (either side) reduces it and doesn't wake me up as much when falling asleep.

One time I had a really weird one where I was trying to fall asleep on my back with my head turned to the left and just as I was drifting off, my head turned all the way to the right. It felt really spooky since I didn't expect it, and it happened all on it's own. It wasn't a jerk, but a smooth motion... Freaked me out.

I spoke with my NeuroPsych about it today and he mentioned that the sympathetic nervous system is over responding in patients with TbI or PCS. When your drifting to sleep you may begin to think about the following day and then your body opens up a gate to allow certain hormones and chemicals through in response to your gearing up for another day or gearing up for bed and sadly can't manage the amount it's giving you so it pours out too much causing the body to respond in this way.

That is so far the only answer I have received from an MD that addresses the issue. I understand it's nothing to be afraid of and hopefully in time as your body relearns what's right and wrong to do in certain situations, it will dish out the correct amount of hormones and chemicals and fire correctly not creating the body to jerk or sweat etc.

It is weird though I have to say!!

OMG, I have this too. I was unable to sleep for over a week when I started having the symptom, and it was very violent. literally no sleep because the head jerk would wake me up.

Real different experience we are on.

Trying to recall if the nights I experience this I am busy thinking about tomorrow...I do know that some nights I do get real stressed about the next day. I wonder I how I am going to fill another day.

Bud

Yes, I have this symptom too. In my case, though, my head just sometimes jerk randomly during the day, not only before falling asleep.

I guess this is a part of recovery...

Have a good day,
-ProAgonist

Yes i've been getting this a bit too day and night - in my case my neck (which was injured in my incident) is the cause of my head twitching so some work on that area could help you guys too.
Some possible solutions...
I have found taking Magnesium Citrate 1 hour before bed helps.
Also magnesium spray/oil massaged directly into the neck calms things down too.
The other thing is are you on any sleep medication at the mo?
Don't whether it's just me but every time i've taken anything like Benadryl, Zopiclone or Amitriptyline it magnifies the intensity of my twitching 10 fold!?
Its horrendous... For instance my jaw snaps shut waking me instantly with the feeling like I've been punched in the face despite the mouth guard that i wear for grinding... Had to resort to sleeping with a sports sock in my mouth on a few of occasions to "soften the blows"! Not totally pleasant but it does the job should this happen to anyone else :)

Anyhow, good news is a few days after stopping the meds the twitching calms down loads,

Rick,

Wow! Quite a side affect.

Bud