Images: Sleep-related painful erection with concomitant hypnic headache

Sleep-related painful erection (SRPE) is a parasomnia defined by the repetition of painful erections during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Hypnic headache (HH) is a primary headache occurring exclusively at night, often during REM sleep. We report the observation of a 33-year-old man with simultaneous SRPE and HH. Physical examination was normal. Comprehensive urological and endocrine explorations excluded other organic differential diagnoses. Polysomnography revealed several awakenings in REM, due to SRPE and concurrent HH. Medication by baclofen at bedtime seemed to have resulted in a decrease in SRPE episodes, confirmed by polysomnography, but at the cost of excessive daytime sleepiness, and was discontinued by the patient. Caffeine intake at bedtime was proposed, but the patient was reluctant because he was concerned about worsening insomnia. At 9-month follow-up, the patient had accepted his medical condition and was coping with both SRPE and HH. He felt reassured and wished no "overmedicalization." To our knowledge, the coexistence of both conditions has not yet been reported, yet their frequencies might be underestimated. We hypothesize a common underlying pathophysiology with a possible dysfunction of the vascular control and/or the autonomic nervous system and that could involve the hypothalamus. Somnologists should be aware of SRPE, potentially overlapping with HHs. SRPE should be considered in case of sleep-maintenance insomnia. Patient reassurance seems to be central in the care process of SRPE.

Moreau A, Monnier L, Medde A, Bourgin P, Ruppert E. Images: sleep-related painful erection with concomitant hypnic headache. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(5):837-839.