How to Find Relief from Your Cluster Headaches

A headache is more than just pain in your head. More than 100 different types of headaches exist, but three of those are the most widespread: tension-type headaches, migraine headaches, and cluster headaches. The cluster headache is probably the least well-known of the three. It’s less common than the other types, but it still affects about 1 in 1,000 people; more males than females; and the onset usually occurs between ages 20-40.

At Primecare Family Practice, board-certified family practitioners Maryline Ongangi, APRN, FNP-C, and Lewis Nyantika, APRN, FNP-C, offer diagnosis and treatment for all types of headache disorders at their Arlington, Texas, office. As cluster headaches are some of the lesser-known but most-intense of the headache types, our team wants to take this opportunity to explain the condition, so you’ll know when you need medical help.

Cluster headaches

There’s still a lot that researchers don’t know about cluster headaches, including what causes them. We do know they’re a form of trigeminal autonomic cephalgia (pain of head and/or face); they involve the hypothalamus, a brain structure of the autonomic nervous system; and they affect part of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve that extends around the head.

Cluster headaches are well named. They take place in groups or clusters that can last for weeks or even months at a time. You may hear them called “suicide headaches” because the pain is so severe, some people consider taking their lives. If you’re having an attack and feel suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255.

Cluster headaches usually start suddenly, with severe pain behind one eye that can be described as searing, burning, or stabbing. Each discrete headache in an attack lasts about a half an hour, but you can expect as many as eight of these headaches within a 24-hour period. They may go into remission as suddenly as they started, sometimes for months or even years before another cluster begins.

The telltale signs of a cluster headache include:

• Searing pain behind one eye
• Multiple attacks in a single day
• Clusters of attacks that last for weeks, months, or years
• Pain always manifests in the same way

When the headache begins and length of each cluster period may be consistent from one group of attacks to the next. For example, they can occur with the seasons, such as every spring or fall.

Most people have episodic cluster headaches; the pain lasts for a week to a year, followed by a three-month or longer remission period before another cluster develops. Some people, though, have chronic cluster headaches; the pain lasts for more than a year at a time, and remissions last less than a month.

Cluster headaches are diagnosed more frequently among those who smoke and frequently drink alcohol. Many also have sleep apnea, though the link is poorly understood.

Cluster headaches have no cure, but they can be treated using some of the same medications as for migraine attacks (i.e., triptans, dihydroergotamine), as well as prednisone, a steroid that reduces inflammation and swelling; or verapamil, which relaxes blood vessels. Over-the-counter pain relievers don’t usually make a dent in the pain.

How to find relief from cluster headaches

Your doctor may give you a preventive medication meant to forestall a cluster attack or an abortive that helps rescue you once you’re having an attack. However, there are things you can do to manage your pain on your own.

Try breathing exercises

Oxygen is one of the first-line treatments for cluster headaches, and it’s been demonstrated to reduce the severity of an attack. Along the same principles, some people have found deep breathing exercises to help them manage symptoms effectively. This approach also relieves stress, which can be a contributing factor to the pain.

Adopt a consistent sleep schedule

Findings in the Journal of Headache Pain show that keeping a consistent sleep schedule normalizes the body’s circadian rhythms, which may lead to a reduction of attacks.

Get regular exercise

Exercise is today’s panacea for whatever ails you, and its benefits, either directly or indirectly, include helping relieve cluster headaches. Even moderate daily activity has been shown to improve sleep, reduce stress, and boost blood circulation to the brain.

Avoid tobacco

Tobacco has a direct link with any number of severe health problems, including, as we’ve mentioned, chronic cluster headaches. If you smoke, vape, or chew, look into a program to help you quit so you can reap the benefits of being tobacco-free.

Avoid alcohol

Any form of alcohol can trigger a cluster attack. Abstaining, especially while in the middle of an attack, can help lessen the pain.

Think you may have cluster headaches and aren’t sure what to do? Call Primecare Family Practice at 817-873-3710 to schedule an evaluation, or book online today.