Introduction

Abstract

Many advances have occurred in the study of headaches in recent years, mainly in the description of new types of headaches, establishment of diagnostic criteria, knowledge of pathophysiological mechanisms, and synthesis of new drugs. In this context, rare headaches have been described, such as hypnic headache that manifests itself in the elderly during sleep. Despite advances in the study of headaches, many physicians do not follow this evolution due to lack of academic training and/or updating of their knowledge. In some medical faculties, students have few hours of teaching about headache and, sometimes, no teaching at all. After becoming doctors, some are no longer interested in studying headaches. In the case of hypnic headache, errors in diagnosis and therapeutic management are frequently observed. Usually, elderly people who have headache during the night or when waking up are diagnosed with migraine and receive inadequate treatment. Many researchers have studied hypnic headache. There are many articles with case reports or case series and book chapters on hypnic headache. A book was needed that dealt exclusively with hypnic headache. This is why this book is important. It was written with the aim of updating neurologists and other physicians who see headache patients.

There is no pain that sleep can not overcome

Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850)