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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Cold water
        
(Message started by: warnberh on Apr 17^th, 2008, 4:06pm)

Title: Cold water
Post by warnberh on Apr 17^th, 2008, 4:06pm

Sorry if I'm a re-iterating an old post here (I'm new) but since I TRY to stay away from drugs most of the time (still take them though), I have always been on the look out for more practical measures to help CH pain...

This one isn't glamorous, but it helps me, maybe you can get some use out of it.

When I am in the middle of a bad one, I take some ridiculously cold water (out of a pitcher in the fridge will do) and I hold it in my mouth on the side of the headache, forcing towards my top teeth. I keep doing this for about 30 minutes and it has a numbing effect.

It doesn't make it go away, but it helps a little, and plus, the whole time you do this, you get to hydrate, which doesn't hurt. Also, the routine of it is distracting, which helps too.

Anyway, here's hoping that helps someone.

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by echo on Apr 17^th, 2008, 5:50pm

Welcome to the board.

We all do whatever works during the dance. My personal favorite is to pour water on the concrete floor in the basement and try to drive my eye into the bedrock under it.

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by Jonny on Apr 17^th, 2008, 6:19pm

warnberh,

That has been posted before, but it was years ago.....thanks for posting it again for the new folks that may find some help with it.

Echo,

I thought I told you to knock the floor thing off, your just going to damage the damn floor...LOL :-*

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by Guiseppi on Apr 17^th, 2008, 6:27pm

I used to do the same thing with crushed ice. I'd force it against the soft palate area on the roof of my mouth, on the side that hurt. It seemed to help a lot. Would reduce it by as many as 2-3 clicks on the pain scale.

Now a days I kill them in 10 minutes with oxygen. My little green tank and I are inseperable in cycle. Take care.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by warnberh on Apr 17^th, 2008, 6:43pm

I REALLY need to get an oxygen tank.....and a diving board for my basement.

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by Jonny on Apr 17^th, 2008, 6:50pm

on 04/17/08 at 18:43:22, warnberh wrote:

I REALLY need to get an oxygen tank.....and a diving board for my basement.

Let me know if the doc wont give you 02, Ill sneak you in the back door and show you how to get it on your own!

Oh, forget about the diving board, Echo has lost all his teeth trying that over the years....it never works....LOL ;)

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by mezza on Apr 17^th, 2008, 7:57pm

I've put ice cubes in my mouth too like guiseppe and held them there to numb it- does seem to help some- Sometimes just doing something while waiting for the abortives to kick in or the HA to go away rather than jumping around or pacing holding my head, feels proactive and like i am more in control

Thanks for posting- I am sure it will help others too!

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by KatzPurr on Apr 17^th, 2008, 10:00pm

Is glad she has O2 and her basement floor is now carpeted. :P

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by wanna_swap_brains on Apr 18^th, 2008, 2:46am

hi,wet the side of your head with cold water,then use an ice pack to kinda massage it,seems better than just an ice pack.stuart oh i only found this coz one of my brilliantly made ice packs(by me)leaked all over me.

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by echo on Apr 18^th, 2008, 2:19pm

on 04/17/08 at 18:50:07, Jonny wrote:

Oh, forget about the diving board, Echo has lost all his teeth trying that over the years....it never works....LOL ;)

But I'm going to keep trying.

I laminated by testicles to the carpet but that didn't work either -- did have a great shine to them though.

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by Batch on Apr 18^th, 2008, 9:17pm

Warnberth,

ANYTHING that works as a vasoconstrictor in the head will have a beneficial effect on a cluster headache attack. The body senses cold in the head either by cold water or ice in the mouth, ice on top of or around the head as a potential case of hypothermia. That triggers the body's defense mechanisms to keep the core (gut) temperature in the safe range. The normal response to make this happen is to constrict the arteries, capillaries, and veins in the extremities including the head... (not needed when it gets too cold out side) to stop the loss of body heat and keep the core temperature in the safe zone.

The net result is the inner branch of the carotid artery that wraps around the trigeminal nerve also constricts as it would if you took imitrex or used a high flow oxygen therapy. All this is part of the abortive mechanism that helps to end the pain of a cluster headache attack.

Take care,

V/R, Batch

Title: Re: Cold water
Post by kevmd on Apr 18^th, 2008, 11:40pm

ice cold showers work great early in cycle for me