Cluster headache, also known as histamine headache, is a form of neurovascular headache. A treatment for cluster migraines isn’t found yet, but there are ways to relief the pain.

What are Cluster headaches?

Cluster headaches are migraines which occur as a series of episodes – clusters – happening over a week or two. Pain is one-sided, and usually felt in the eye, around the eyelid and behind the nose. It has a burning character and when it ceases mucus drips from the nose.

Cluster headaches mostly occur in men, their pain level is even more intense than that of a non-cluster migraine, and cluster headaches don’t appear to respond as well to the new triptan drugs like Imitrex, Maxalt and Relpax as non-cluster migraines do.

Treatment for Cluster Migraines

There are a few ways to relief the pain of cluster headaches. Although they don’t always work for everyone, you can try them all until you find one that works. You will need to talk to your doctor about the different types of medicines you would like to try. He will know which ones are safe to use with your medical history. Also, these medicins can be used in conjunction with the more natural cluster headache treatment I’ve discussed on this blog before.

* Antinausea medications such as prochlorperazine is used to treated the cluster migraine.
* Verapamil is the drug of choice for episodic and chronic types.
* Surgical treatment – Percutaneous radio frequency retrogasserian rhizotomy is good results in 70%
* The extreme pain can be markedly diminished within 15 minutes by an under-the-skin injection of sumatriptan (Imitrex®).
* Treatment for cluster headache is to breathe 100% oxygen for 10-15 minutes.
* Beta-blockers are used to treat high blood pressure.
* Antiseizure medications such as gabapentin, valproic acid, and carbamazepine.
* Intravenous dihydroergotamine 1 mg may provide relief in less than 10 minutes. Intramuscular and intranasal administration take longer to work.
* Butorphanol nasal spray may be used to treated this disease.

Talk to your doctor about your cluster headaches and let him know which medicines you have tried and which have worked (maybe just for a little while). Every information you give him can be vital in finding a cure for your cluster migraines.