The best thing to do for cluster headaches is to try to avoid them by learning how to recognize the triggers that start a cluster headache in your active cycle.  But even when a cluster headache has already started, you can stop them.  And the most effective cluster headache treatment doesn’t require you to have a prescription.  To stop cluster headaches you have to inhale pure oxygen at 7 liters per minute through an oxygen mask.

But not only oxygen proves to be effective.  Other first line treatments for cluster headaches include triptan drugs, dihydroergotamine and sumitriptan.  To learn more about the effects of these kind of drugs you should talk to your doctor, he’s the most qualified person and he can tell you if you can take these prescription drugs in your situation.

Triptan drugs
These drugs have been used to treat cluster headaches before and have proven to be helpful in some cases, but it has been reported by people suffering from cluster headaches that the same effect can be obtained by drinking strong cups of coffee immediately when an attack starts.
Because of the sudden nature of the cluster headache attacks, triptan drugs are administered through an injection rather than by mouth.  You can also get most of the triptan drugs in the form of a nasal spray.  But in this form they aren’t as effective due to the swelling of nasal passages during an attack.

Dihydroergotamine
This drug is an ergo derivative and it’s available as injection and inhaler.  They have proven to be an effective pain reliever with some cluster headache sufferers.  If you want to take this drug as a pain relief you must go to a hospital or a doctor’s office so you can have the drug taken intravenously, the inhaler form isn’t that effective as it works more slowly.

Sumitriptan
Imitrex, which is the injectable form of sumitriptan, is known as an effective treatment for migraine and can be effective for cluster headache attacks also.  Another triptan drug, zolmitriptan or Zomig can be taken orally and can help in getting relief for a cluster headache but it isn’t as effective as prescription drugs that are taken through an injection.

To stop cluster headaches while an attack occurs isn’t an easy task, but there are ways to do it.  Talk to your doctor and get all the information on cluster headaches and possible cluster headache treatments.