Treatment For Cluster Headaches
Published June 19, 2009 | 
If you suffer from Cluster Headaches then you may know that there is more than one kind of cluster type headaches. There are many different medications for the treatment of cluster headaches but there has not been found that “miracle” drug that rids them completely. Cluster Headaches are not common and terribly painful.
Types of Cluster Headaches
• Histamine Headache
• Red Migraine
• Horton’s Headache
• Cephalalgia
• Sphenopalatine Neuralgia
These cluster headaches can last as long as weeks or even months. Rare in nature but it is possible to suffer from a Migraine as well as a Cluster Headache. Many patients complain that they get these headaches as many as four times a day. These are sometimes also referred to as Suicide Headaches or Alarm Clock Headaches.
Cluster Headache Symptoms include;
• One-Sided Pain nearly always
• Pain stays on one side.
• Pain may start of other side when new cluster headache starts.
• Localized pain, behind eye or in eye area, forehead, temple, nose, cheek or gums of affected side.
• Pupil may contract or eyelid becomes swollen or droops.
• Nostril of affected side may become congested
• Nasal discharge or watering of eye on the side of pain.
• Face may become flush
• Excessive Sweating
Unlike the Migraine, Cluster Headache suffers often say there is not sensitivity to light. The pain is said to be a piecing or burning type of pain. The scalp is sometimes tender and many patients are not able to sit still during an episode. Sometimes there are as much as months or maybe even years in between cluster headaches and found in some patients to occur more in the Spring and Autumn and many times are confused with allergies.
Treatments Options for Cluster Headaches
Although there are some options out there for treatment not all of them may work. Oxygen has been found to relieve the pain in as little as only 5 minutes. Here are some of the medications that you may want to talk to your doctor about.
• Oxygen Treatment
• Corticosteriods
• Calcium Channel Blocking Agent such as Verapamil
• Antiepileptic drugs
• Those who do not respond to the medications may opt for surgery.
• Ergotamine agents
• Intranasal applications such as Lidocaine
• Sumatriptan (Imitrex)
If you suffer from Cluster Headaches and have had no luck in finding a treatment that works for you, you are not alone. Check with your doctor on a different treatment option. Although in pain, try to stay calm and if needed go to your Emergency Department at your local hospital. Try to see if there are any triggers that may bring on a cluster headache, such as stress, anger and try to keep notes on what you are feeling before a headache comes on. This may help the doctors find a remedy that may work for you.
You can also find more info on Quick Headache Relief Remedies and Sinus Headache Relief. Windowblindsreview.com is a comprehensive resource to know about i-headache.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Wellsworth
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I am one of the unfortunate few that has recently been diagnosed with clusters and migraines combined. I have had clusters for 12+ years. This year is the worst I have ever had. Usually I have two cycles a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. My cylces are relatively mild on the KIP scale of pain…or I should say they were. So far this year I have hit the level 10 more times than I care to remember. In the last week I had three trips to ER for shots of narcotics, and all they did was dull the pain.
We haven’t found anything to help me yet. Midrin, Imetrix, O2 therapy, water therapy, Vicodin, Demerol, Nubain, Ultram, Toradol, other narcotics, Benadryl & Reglan, Topomax…none of them do anything but dull the pain and only work for maybe an hour if at all. I’m on my second cycle of the spring, I did get almost a month break. I am now taking cocktails (demoral, benedryl & phenergan) so I can fall asleep and get at least a couple of hours of sound sleep before the spiking pain wakes me up.
Like most of the other sufferers I have a high tolerance for pain, so I make it through my day at work as long as I can get some sleep at night but by the time I get home I am exhausted from it. Peopl I work with know that I am dealing with this, someone always happens to walk up when I am spiking and see my face flush, the sweating start and ask if I am about to pass out as my blood pressure shoots up and I try to keep from rocking in my chair as I battle the beast. I’m hoping the new script for steroids will give me another small break until we can find something that will help me.
My problem is that there no one at work or whereever i go have any knowledge what clusters are. Can this BEAST be more advertised that other people like your employees, family and friends can respect what you going through when you getting these attacks.
My cluster started about 6 years ago and I wish this pain to nobody on earth. Please docters try and do a bit more research and help us to get a cure that is affordable.
IS THERE A CURE FOR THIS OR A WAY TO DULL THE PAIN THANKS