These cluster headaches are also called suicide headaches, and they occur several times a day. It comes unexpectedly for a very short time but is very painful.

Cause

This kind of headache is normally intense and mostly felt on the sides of the head. When it is experienced, one normally feels pain around the eyes. It is so painful that it wakes someone at night, specifically at the same time each night. You will find the eye on the side where the headache felt red and watery. The sufferer’s nose will also be watery or blocked on the same side where the pain is felt.

Cluster headaches frequently occur during the fall and spring periods. Alcohol combined with high temperatures can cause a cluster headache to be experienced for a long time. When the temperature rises, the body temperature rises, causing the headache to prolong.

Symptoms

Symptoms come unexpectedly and without warning. Some of them include the following:

Headache on one side

Restlessness of the patient

Tearful or watery eyes at the side that a headache is felt

Possible swelling around the eyes

Blocked or stuffy nose on the side of the pain

Excruciating pain that is continuous and throbbing. The pain behind the eye runs to the other side of the head, like on the neck and around the face and the shoulder regions. Many patients feel pain in the cheek and the temple.

eyelid drooping

size of the pupil shrinking

Patients

have been recorded saying that the pain is like nothing they have ever felt. It is considered sharp and burning as it pokes deep into the eyeballs. When experiencing these pain episodes, the patient will pace around. If one sits down, one will try to rock back and forth to soothe the discomfort. Even though it is common for one to lie down when feeling a headache, patients suffering from cluster headaches feel more discomfort now.

Interesting facts

This type of headache is not that common since it affects 1 in every 1,000 people. It affects 1 in every 1,000 people. Men are the most affected since about 80% of sufferers are women who are often smokers. The good thing about cluster headaches is that they do not cause long-term effects on the suffering individual. There are remedies available that can reduce the number of headache intensities.

· Each cluster lasts about 15 minutes or up to several hours, while the prevalent cases last more than an hour.

· Cluster headaches are reported to affect 1-4% of the population, with 0.4% prevalence in the US. Different sources have a prevalence of 0.5-1 out of 1,000 people. In a particular tertiary care, 2.73% of patients were diagnosed with cluster headaches. This diagnosis has been found to occur in men between 20 and 50. African American males are considered to be more highly affected than other males

Cluster Headache Treatment

There is no current treatment that gets rid of cluster headaches completely. Modern therapy is the best bet to alleviate the pain as it shortens the period of the headaches and reduces their frequency.

Over-the-counter, painkillers like ibuprofen and aspirin do not counter cluster headaches. This is because the pain comes and dissipates quickly.

Ways to speed up recovery

Oxygen

Many patients find that if they use an oxygen mask to inhale lots of oxygen, they can experience relief within minutes. The only issue with this solution is that a cylinder and regulator must be present. Small units are on the market, but not everyone can buy them. The worst part about this remedy is alleviating pain which comes back after some time.

Imitrex injections

In the 1990s, this class of drugs was introduced to treat migraines. This drug is used as an inhalant but only for a few patients. For an adult, a dosage of about 6mg is allowed. Two injections in one 24-hour period are needed as long as each is at least an hour apart.

Preventative treatment

Preventative measures are the best solutions. Short-term drugs that are taken for a long term can work. Examples of these drugs include Corticosteroids, Ergomar and anesthetics.

Tips and tricks for managing daily activities

Avoid taking alcohol when experiencing this pain since it triggers prolonged pains.

No exercising during the hot weather.

Do not do anything that causes a rise in body temperature.

Cluster headaches are commonly triggered when smoking. Avoid it as much as you can.