What is a cluster headache?
A cluster headache is a rare type of excruciatingly painful headache that is 6 times more likely to affect men than women. The term “Cluster” comes from the headaches behavior, episodes of the headache are normally very intense yet short in duration and reoccur frequently in bouts over a couple of days or even a couple of months normally reoccurring annually at the same time of year.
What does a cluster headache feel like?
Cluster headaches cause sudden intense pain that develops around the eye socket only on one side of the face. The rapid onset of pain is described as being like an attack and lasts from anything as short as 15 minutes to several hours. Some sufferers report feeling a mild sensation developing around the eye socket before the rapid onset, almost like a warning signal of the imminent attack. During an attack the pain is severe, deep and boring like around and even behind the eye. The pain levels are so severe that they have been described by many as a red hot poker sticking into their eye and by many women as worse than childbirth. Considering one cluster could have over twenty attacks you can understand why it has been nicknamed the “suicide headache”. Additional to the severe pain levels sufferers will experience eye watering, droopy eyelids, running or blocked nose and swelling or sweating all restricted to the same painful side of the face. Due to the high pain levels major fatigue and restlessness is experienced as well as the inability to concentrate on a task and an aversion to bright lights and loud noises. Occasionally a chronic form may occur where the sufferer experience no letup in-between the clusters with a continuous background headache developing.
Why & when does a cluster headache happen?
The cause of a cluster headache is currently unknown, as the condition itself is not fully understood. The mechanism behind the initial pain is understood to involve the vascular system and the trigeminal nerve around the eye. There are many working theories listing such things as genetics, smoking and drinking as triggering factors but the most interesting theory is that it is linked to your hypothalamus and your body clock hence the reason it has the ability to reoccur at the exact same of the year each year.
How is a cluster headache diagnosed?
Your GP will be able to diagnose you by taking a full history of your headache symptoms including the what the onset is like, how severe is the pain and importantly how would you describe the pain and also asking about the additional symptoms. Cluster headaches are rare but very unique therefore when you present to the GP it shouldn’t take much to come to a conclusive diagnosis. There is no specific test available that can confirm a diagnosis of cluster headaches however in some cases the GP may feel it is necessary to investigate and eliminate other conditions before making a final diagnosis.
What treatments are available for cluster headaches?
Once you have been diagnosed your GP will discuss your treatment options with you. Ordinary over the counter medications are useless as they aren’t strong enough to counteract the intense pain but also take too long as by the time the drug has taken affect the episode is over. There are three most commonly used interventions including a fast working sumatriptan injection which sufferers can be shown to administer themselves, alternatively a zolmitriptan nasal spray which is not quite as fast as the injection and oxygen therapy. Breathing 100% oxygen helps to lessen the pain quickly and is easy to use during an attack.