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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> CH's & Sleep Apnea?
        
(Message started by: amct15 on Nov 20^th, 2004, 7:37pm)

Title: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by amct15 on Nov 20^th, 2004, 7:37pm

Hello all,

I thought I saw somewhere that there may be a link between CH's and sleep apnea. Recently I've had episodes of what I can only describe as sleep apnea, except I'm not fully asleep. It typically hits just before I do fall asleep, so I'm just concious enough to realize that I'm not breathing.

So my assumption is this: Since I catch this apnea sometimes when I'm still a little bit awake it must be at least theoretically possible that it does also kick in while I am asleep, and goes unnoticed. And, since oxygen seems to work for many as a treatment for CH's, I'm wondering if, therefore, the lack of oxygen caused by apnea could be a cause of (or at least a contributor to) CH's?

I just thought I'd get some input on this. The theory sounds logical I suppose. But I'm wondering if anyone else has had any experience similar to this?

Thanks for any input. Here's to many PF days for all!

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by unsolved1 on Nov 20^th, 2004, 10:33pm

Could be a contributor, I believe .... but not a cause.

I was told by my local neuro that as high as 80% of clusterheads could also have sleep apnea.

If one were to have a severe case of sleep apnea, treating the apnea may help reduce the clusters.

Unsolved

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by nani on Nov 20^th, 2004, 11:31pm

I have moderate-severe sleep apnea and have noticed it before I'm fully asleep. The c-pap mask actually triggers CH when I use it. I'm going to get a canula instead (hopefully soon). There's another thread about this in the archives. From sometime during the summer, I think.

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Nov 21^st, 2004, 4:34pm

There have been several research reports posted here in the last couple of years reporting a positive relationship between sleep apnea and clusters.

You might try the search function to find them.

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by amct15 on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 1:01pm

Thanks for the info. I didn't think it could be a cause since there are definitely those out there with apnea that don't suffer from CH's, but it does seem there is a fairly definitive link on the flipside.

In some strange way perhaps in this case, the headache is the brain's little "alarm" Sort of it's way of saying "hey, wake up... I'm not getting enough oxygen up here!"

Thanks again for the info.

Andrew

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by Bob P on Nov 22^nd, 2004, 2:41pm

Ahhh, the good old OUCH Library:

http://www.clusterheadaches.org/library/general/apnea.htm

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by amct15 on Nov 23^rd, 2004, 1:09pm

From the above link to OUCH

"These findings suggest that in some patients, physiological consequences of OSA may trigger CH during the first few hours of sleep and thereby influence the timing of subsequent daytime headaches."

Yup... sounds like me.

Thanks for the link. I knew I had seen something on this subject somewhere.

Andrew

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by Bob_Johnson on Nov 23^rd, 2004, 2:28pm

: Headache. 2004 Jun;44(6):607-10. Related Articles, Links

Obstructive sleep apnea and cluster headache.

Graff-Radford SB, Newman A.

The Pain Center, Cedars Sinai Medical Center and UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.

A patient with cluster headache often wakes from sleep. The relationship to sleep apnea has been described. This study sought to confirm the relationship cluster may have with sleep apnea. METHODS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients diagnosed with episodic cluster headache according to the International Headache Society (IHS) criteria were sent for polysomnographic studies. All patients were in an active phase when they were in the study. Patients were told of the proposed relationship and were allowed to choose a sleep laboratory close to their home. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with episodic cluster headache completed an overnight polysomnographic study. Twenty-three were male and eight female. The average age was 51 years (range 33 to 78 years). The average weight was 173 pounds (range 117 to 260 pounds). A total of 80.64% had sleep apnea (25/31). Average respiratory depression index (RDI) was 19.0 (SD 14.6) with 6 patients having no apnea, 10 having mild, 11 having moderate, and 4 having severe apnea (RDI < 5 = none; RDI 5 to 20 mild; RDI 20 to 40 moderate; RDI > 40 severe). Oxygen saturation decreased on average to 88.4% SD 4.5. Sleep efficiency was 76.2% (SD 13.4). CONCLUSIONS: The data closely approximate those of Chervin et al, where 80% had RDI > 5. The relationship sleep apnea has in the perpetuation or precipitation of cluster headache is still to be determined. There are some reports that treatment stops the cluster but there is no prospective study. The high incidence (80.64%) seen in this population suggests the cluster patient should receive a sleep evaluation and perhaps intervention with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or an appropriate dental device.

PMID: 15186306 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by ClusterGuy on Nov 25^th, 2004, 9:50am

I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and I am getting setup with my cpap machine on this coming tuesday. I have also had clusters for 14 years, with a 3 year remission. I am hoping that the cpap machine takes care of my CH, but I think I am fooling myself.

Title: Re: CH's & Sleep Apnea?
Post by Redneck on Nov 25^th, 2004, 10:47pm

I have sleep apnea also, diagnosed in early 90's. Couldn't tolerate C-pap then. Started back on C-pap this spring. It never really helped my headaches but did help with snoring (wife was ready to move out) and did help with the tiredness. Hope it works better for you. CH is bad enuff with the added medical problems sleep apnea can cause. Best of luck.