What are Cluster Headaches And How Can They be Avoided?
Have you ever experienced a sudden and excruciating pain as if your eyes are about to jump out of their sockets? If these pain episodes occur at the same time within days, or only during certain times of seasons, then most likely, you are suffering from cluster headaches.
A cluster headache is definitely one of the most painful form of headaches but there are many other types of headaches identified by medical experts, such as migraines and the caffeine and the cervicogenic headaches.
It should be noted that people suffering from cluster headaches should not worry that much because this type of headache typically is not arising from another underlying and probably more serious illness.
However, to be safe, a person suffering sudden and sharp headaches more often should still consult the doctor for proper education about this type of headache.
Cluster headache attacks
Cluster headaches were called such because the headache episodes occur frequently and at the same time within periods. For example, a person may experience terrible headache every 2 p.m. of the day for the whole summer. After summer, that person will not feel the headache anymore, until the following summer, when the cluster of headaches start to reappear.
Often, the area affected by the excruciating headache pain is also remain on that particular and same area of the head. It is rare that the center of the pain on cluster headaches transfer to another site or region of the head.
On the next cluster of headache attacks, it is weird and amazing to note that the pain would remain on that site where the pain is excruciatingly felt during the duration of the attacks.
Another striking uniqueness of the cluster headache is its timing and duration. On the average, a cluster headache attack lasts about 45 to 90 minutes. Experts note that attacks also more than often occur at certain times of the day, usually about 1 to 2 in the morning, or between 1 to 3 in the afternoon. Reported cases also occur at about 9 in the evening before the sleeping time of the patient.
Another distinct quality of this type of headache is that it occurs abruptly and also ends as abruptly. The pain is almost unbearable that patients normally scream or bang their heads during attacks. There were cases when patients attempted to commit suicide to free themselves from the suffering led by the painful episodes.
Symptoms of cluster headaches
Aside from those mentioned above, there are also other symptoms that can be indicative of the presence of cluster headache in a person.
A person suffering from the periodic disease experience swelling in the eye area, drooping of the eyelids and runny aor stuffy nostrils. The patient also exhibit flushed face and his eye pupils are reduced in size.
Restlessness is first and foremost noticeable at the onset of the cluster attacks. Usually, patients experience difficulty in sleeping and are easily annoyed. Thus, these people tend to prefer being alone often.
As symptoms exist, you should make sure to immediately seek expert and medical consultation to be sure. The doctor could prescribe pain relief drugs or recommend techniques about how to alleviate the painful attacks.
Not much can be expected over prevention, because up until now, the real cause behind cluster headaches is still yet to be identified. Currently, researchers believe that such headaches are hereditary, or runs in the bloodline in the family.
Treatment
Cluster headaches are treatable, but not exactly curable. There are cases when a patient suddenly stops having attacks. On the contrary, there are cases when the attacks get more severe and more often.
To treat cluster headache attacks, you should take the normal dosage of pain relievers. Injections and ointments could also be of good help, as well as occasional sessions with the physical therapist.
There are non-conventional and accidental treatments that have also been proven to prevent cluster headache attacks. Among such is the botox anti-wrinkling beauty injection, which was recently discovered to help prevent the onset of headache episodes for up to six months after administration.
Cluster headaches are really painful. No one wants them. But if you happen to have one, do not worry, because it is not life-threatening, only painful. Just stick to healthy lifestyle, stay away from alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, and you would certainly help yourself avoid the disease.
Lee Dobbins
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/what-are-cluster-headaches-and-how-can-they-be-avoided-80204.html
February 26th, 2009 at 10:03 am
Cluster headaches?
My son has just started a cycle of cluster headaches. Apart from avoiding alcohol and caffeine is there anything else that can shorten the cycle of these daily headaches? They usually last a month or so with about 3-4 attacks per day. Has anyone else found that GP's are unfamiliar with these types of headache and offer little help? Painkillers are not that effective as by the time they are absorbed the attack is wearing off anyway. Anybody with any experience who can offer helpful advice? It's hard to watch someone in such pain and feel so helpless.
My son is 29 years old and has had these attacks annually for about 7 years. Between cycles of these attacks he is very fit and healthy.
February 26th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
calomile tea can help relive the headaches
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Try cold compresses or icepack wrapped in cloth nolonger than 15 minutes with the ice on the nape of the neck. it helps to shrink the blood vessels. There are also some pressure point that can be applied that could ease the pain.
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Take him for a scan. Its very effective and could tell you alot.Dont wait take him for scan. Hope its not a tumor in the brain.Blood clot in the brain.See your neurosurgeon at the earlist.
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
let him try tab. panadol extra
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personal
February 26th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
I used to get them when younger. I took Midrid, which is an over the counter migraine tablet. I found it effective
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
i have cluster headache..record the time of daily attack and take the pain meds. before the pain starts to maximize its effects..
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
My sympathies. I used to get them. If it's any consolation, apparently, it's a stage one goes through and then you're rid of them. I had them for quite some time (a few years perhaps, I can't remember) when I was in my lates twenties and early thirties, but that was 30 years ago, and once I got through them they stopped I never had a headache again.
But that won't help him now. I know. Mine were killers. One tactic is to keep testing and trying until you (hopefully) find the trigger. Alcohol and caffeine, yes, tobacco too. But it could be something as innocuous as a dairy product (cheese is notorious) or one of the nuts. So try cutting out tea, Coke, peanut butter and absolutely anything you can think of (one by one, that is). Hopefully you'll strike it lucky and find the culprit. In other words, treat it as a kind of allergy.
You're right, doctors (not only GPs - I was at neurosurgeons too and they couldn't do anything, except scans and x-rays) are hopeless, and most medication is too, but there again it's worth trying different possibilities. But take it easy, too much aspirin left with me with permanent ringing in my ears. One thing that helped sometimes in my case was Stemetil - injections were quicker than tablets - so you might check with your doctor about that.
The best relief I found was pressure - plain, ordinary physical pressure. You have to work with your son on this, because sometimes the pain is so bad you can't take much pressure. But if you work on it, you'll learn how much and where. In this regard, I found it easiest to do my own pressing, but there's no doubt it's far better if someone else can do it.
There are three main places. First and best for me was this one. Place the palm of one hand on the back of the head. For the other hand, join the thumb and index finger together, fingerprint to fingerprint, then separate the tips of the fingers slightly so there's a kind of V-shape. Put this V on the bridge of the nose exactly between the eyes. Now simply apply pressure between the two hands, in other words you're squeezing from the front and back of his head. Start slowly, increase the pressure gently, and basically you can keep squeezing harder and harder till it hurts. Actually you can squeeze very hard, but go gradually and see how he feels. Try to get the right pressure and hold it for a while (say 30 seconds), then, this is important, ease off the pressure very slowly. Take up to about 30 seconds just easing off if you can. Repeat if necessary. But this worked like a miracle for me. First time and that pain was just gone. I couldn't believe it.
Second pressure point. If you feel on the side of the face just beyond the eyes (directly in line with the eyes) about an inch or so beyond the outside corners of the eyes and just beyond the bony ridge which is the edge of the eye socket I suppose, you'll find a flat section. In other words, this is probably the temple. That's where you squeeze. So basically you're squeezing the temples toward one another. For this, I found the best is the side of the index finger between the first and second joints, but support the index finger by placing the thumb in the joint. So you're sort of wrapping the index finger around the tip of the thumb. (I hope you can follow these descriptions. They're probably not too clear, but hopefully clear enough.) Press the same as before. Start slow, build up, ease off slowly.
The third one I found is similar to the second, except you press the sides of the head directly above the ears. In fact, if you're doing it for yourself, the nails of your thumbs will be touching the top tips of your ears.
This then is a kind of acupressure.
Lastly, read up all you can. Start with reading up on migraines. Popular discussions. Homoeopathy. Technical medical books also are fine. Whatever you can find. Even if you don't understand all the medical stuff, you usually pick up something useful. The more you know, the better you can fight it. I learned a lot when I started reading about sinuses, for example.
Hope this helps. Feel free to PM me if you like.
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Try supplementing with Arginine, this dIlates the blood vessels and relaxes the arteries allowing blood to flow freely. This has been used effectively to control the migraine associated with a condition called CADISIL and was showcased on BBC TV's Inside Out programme. Arginine supplementation boasts a host of benefits is natural and drug free.
http://www.Arginine4life.com
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February 26th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
There is no medicine for H/A OR MIGRAINE. Not only these but for almost all painful diseases. Hence they become chronic.
Acidity, WORRY, excessive wind, cold , heat, sour food and sinusitis, constipation, intestinal inflammation; drug side effects, stress, bad smell, TV & COMPUTER SOMETIMES,
Blockage in the flow of Vital Energy are their causes. None of them can be treated with medicine. Our 100% success in treating migraine &H/A confirms it.
Acupuncture is the best treatment.
I can treat it with naturopathy and YOG, but how can you manage pl see.
Pain killers don't treat the pain but we loose the sense of pain for some time; in that duration our body itself treats sometime and credit goes to meds.
Avoid late sleeping if possible; worry, spicy foods, sour fruits, stale bakery foods and alcohole.
Sweet foods, COCOANUT WATER,sweet fruits, milk, rice, SPROUTS, SALADS and good sleep will help you.
But you try one herbal remedy- two drops of drumstick leaves' juice in opposite nostril if one side pains and both nostrils if full H/A will give you rescue. Betel leaf helps but it is very strong.
If it is acute pl search a painful point 3-6 mm behind your thumb nail and press it, H/A will disappear within 30 seconds.
Source(s):
SHREE SWASTHYAYOG TREATMENT, TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE
R.H. 19, Jhulelal Society, Sector 2/E, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, INDIA.
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