So called "Cluster Headaches"

Howdy all,

Happy new year.

Does anyone here suffer from "cluster headaches"? If so, have you had treatment? I get them very occasionally but almost exclusively when I have been drinking alcohol. The pain becomes unbearable and many a big night out is ruined as I have to skive home to sleep (which seems the only antidote).

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/cluster-headaches/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

Any related experiences would be welcomed, I'm keen to understand the headaches as much as I can.

x

Reply 1

Kabloomybuzz

Are you sure its cluster headaches and not migraine? I'm thinking the latter as alcohol is a common trigger.

Reply 2

hslt

Original post by Kabloomybuzz

Are you sure its cluster headaches and not migraine? I'm thinking the latter as alcohol is a common trigger.

and because OP sleeps them off - sleep often makes migraines better

Reply 3

moya

What you have described is not a cluster headache. For it to be properly diagnosed, they have to appear regularly in clusters (ie quite a few times a month to every day) for a period of a few weeks, then complete remission for a similar period of time.

And it's also not possible to sleep during a cluster headache. They are too painful for that.

What you have described sounds like either a migraine, probably due to dehydration. Are there any other symptoms?

(be glad that you do not have cluster headaches)

Reply 4

Mona the Vampire

I do...When I went to my doctor, she googled my symptoms :s-smilie:

and then booked a scan to make sure nothing else was wrong so then a neurologist said that it might be cluster headaches. Its terrible in the summer, the heat really makes it worse and I feel like I'm dying. No treatment, just a paracetomol if the pain persists. The doctor told me to keep a note of when my headaches occur but AIN'T NO BODY GOT TIME FOR DET!

also, its always the left side of my brain- like always :confused:

Reply 5

Is36tooOld

Ive been a chronic cluster headaches sufferer for over 15 years, they are terrible.

Alcohol is a known trigger and ahould be avoided when in cycle.

Usually cluster headaches are on one aide of the face behind the eye or temple, the pain is excruciating, like something trying to force its way out of your face they can last from 15 mins to 3 hours, No pain relief works, except sumatriptan and they have no idea why they happen or how the sumatriptan works.

Episodic clusters tend to happen for a few days, weeks or even months a year but go away for awhile. They also tend to be worse around seasonal change or when the weather changes rapidly.

Chronic sufferers are rare and are in a worse position. You're chronic if you have headaches for at least 50pc of a month with no more than a couple of pain free days, though there are those like me who have the bad luck to not have had a headache free day in years.

Keeping a record of when you have headaches and the intensity and length, helps drs try to break the cycle and work out patterns so you can learn to manage them the best you can.

One strange thing about mine is that they are pretty regular and i kind of know what times of day they will be, just never sure how strong or long they will last.

Sumatriptan is the only medication officially licenced for treatment but there are others used as preventatives to try and break or suppress the cycle.

Sumatriptan is great at aborting attacks most of the time, but it can only be taken once an hour and a maximum of twice a day.

I hope this is informative and help enlighten.

Anymore questions feel free to ask.

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 6

Is36tooOld

Women suffer less as a pc of population with clusters, but those who do say its more painful than giving birth.

Reply 7

Is36tooOld

One of the worst things with the condition is the fact there is no known cure and research into them is underfunded and rare. Mostly due to the fact that its affcts such a small pc of population. And the chronic form is an even smaller pc of the cluster population.

On a educational side note: it's believed that many of those skulls found trappaned were probably cluster headache sufferers.