I don't know about you guys, but, the left side of my head,neck and  left shoulder is completely messed up after a cluster. From my occipital nerve in the back of my head, down into my shoulder, it hurts from all of the tension.

I use some stuff called super blue stuff. (Well, they added menthol so it could be sold OTC now.) It helps with the pain from the muscles being all tense.

I can't use most normal things.

Well, my reason for posting this, was they had a sample on their site. A form you can fill out for it. I figured any of you who may have soreness from the battle might find it useful.

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If this type of post isn't allowed, I apologize. But since this gives me relief, I wanted to share it. I usually try to slather it on before a hit goes full-blown in hopes it might help the area.

I do rub some on my face, after a hit it feels pretty stiff, etc.

Also some back history on this, I've used this since I was 14-15, a friend my Grandpa worked with knew how much pain I was suffering due to my arthritis and osteoporosis... So he sent me some of it. My Mom came in the room and started asking me what lotion I was using. (due to the scent.) Ever since I've used it whenever I have muscle aches, cramps, etc. I have major allergies, so the fact this muscle rub didn't break me out was a miracle...

Anyways, have a g'day!

Mystina

Great post! Now if it was YOUR PERSONAL WEB SITE,  and were looking to make a buck, we'd eat you alive!   (he he he ;))

I'm like you, after I get a real slammer, my neck, back, shoulders and scalp feel like I've been beaten with a 2X4. Sounds like one of those heat rubs that'd soothe those aches and paind a bit. Glad you found something that helps.

Joe

I use similar products (camphor, menthol, etc.) for tense muscles too, in various forms.

Unlike you or Joe, my CH is worse when the CH side neck & shoulders are all screwed up.  So the stuff I use doesn't relieve the CH pain per se but sort of prevents attacks or reduces the pain when CH does hit me.  When my neck & shoulders are extra tight, I get a nagging shadow all day that could explode by a slightest trigger.  I even had my hair butchered about a foot this summer, thinking it might help the neck by reducing the weight  :'(.

Anything to relax the muscles is a good thing......

When my shoulder and neck start ache (after a particularly bad hit or series of hits), I take an Aleve.  That works for me!

OR, I drive over to the ex-wife's house, and jump in the hot tub!

Chuck

MrsT: I know what you mean with that. That's part of why I try to get rid of it immidiately after an attack. My family knows, you do not touch the back of my head, or my neck, because I WILL scream. My boyfriend/eventual husband, made the mistake once... and spent an hour apologizing while I sobbed. With me, I know it's that occipital nerve. Not all of my clusters irritate that nerve...but one will damn well be triggered if it's touched. :-/ I hate brushing my hair, or blow drying it... because I know touching it might cause a shadow. It usually does... (This is also why my doctors think an occipital nerve block will work on me. Since that nerve is acting up and causing me SO many problems now, and it hurts if you touch back there, they said it SHOULD work.)  I don't know if you could handle Capsacin-P, but, it's a topical form of the hot stuff in peppers... Basically, the idea behind it, is you keep applying it. It triggers your pain sensors, depletes substance P (something that helps transmit pain) and eventually, your body doesn't react badly to it. I used to be able to handle it... I can't anymore, but, if you can stand the pain of it (it burns, last time I tried it.) you might find it useful. Then again, it might end up triggering you, since you have such pain in your neck and shoulders. Use your own judgement on it, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of it. If you want, I can see if there are any herbs that might relax the neck area. We have a lot of books on that sort of thing. I can't guarantee any of it would help you, but I'm willing to hunt and see. If you have some catnip, you could always try making catnip tea, it's a muscle relaxant (it may make you sleepy, but it has a VERY pleasant taste.) Pregnant women aren't supposed to take it, though.

I've had doctors tell me that I'd not have headaches if I cut my hair. I walked out of their offices. If it's the weight that you think is bothering you, you may want to try thinning it.

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Chuck:
I'm glad Aleve works for you! Hopefully it'll work for others, too.

Things like Aleve don't really help this for me unfortunately...  I'm on Relafen, 750mg twice a day. I'm also not supposed to take more than that, I've got some kind of coagulation disorder.

Muscle relaxers don't work for this on me, I already know. I'm on Baclofen. I was put on it as a preventative, because I took it from 14-20. Since I had no adverse reaction at that time, and now, they've kept me on it. It keeps my hip from dislocating often, and keeps the muscles from freezing so that I can't get it back in place... but it doesn't help my shoulder. So I'm left with either hot showers...which might trigger another cluster... Or with muscle rubs.

I think the beast just likes laughing at me.

Guiseppi: I wish it was my own personal product. It'd be a helluvalot cheaper just to have it on hand rather than having to buy it. My Grandpa dislocated HIS hip (he fell while trying to work on our house some more...still cleaning up from Ike.) and I kept offering to massage it with the blue stuff. He finally said okay today because "It's obvious you're not going to leave me the hell alone, OR be happy until I let you do it!"  :D I don't know if it was the chiropractor, or the blue stuff that helped him, I don't really care... I'm just happy he's doing better. I'll know tomorrow if he asks me to get my bottle of it for him. XD

I've rambled on enough..

Mystina

Pixie, I think I've tried most OTC rubs and pain pills for aftereffects, don't think any of them hurt, sometimes they worked, sometimes not, seemed like it just depended if my CH had me up for a 2X day or a 10X day, CH was in charge.
Did find one thing that did sort of work, topical Ibuprofen. Had to smuggle tubes in from the UK, brand name Ibuleve. Did seem to get things down to a dull roar sometimes, I also experimented rubbing it on to the temple to abort attacks, and it did seem to work SOME of the time.

Some of the time was a charm, these were the days no drug worked at all, and full push O2 only aborted headaches maybe 1/3 of the time.

Off to shop for Blue Spring, just bought my first big can of Red Bull this morning, waiting for my one o'clock.

Bring it on!

I found that Watkins Linament spray is the only thing to work for any muscle or ligament pain I have.  I discovered it when nothing short of narcotics would work for my severe round ligament pain from my last pregnancy.

It's in a small gold spray bottle from Walmart next to the other muscle pain stuff.  I think it was around $6?

:)

Has anyone tried Biofreeze?  I got some from my massage therapist - it has a roller type applicator which works well for my neck and up into my scalp.

nancyk wrote on Dec 23^rd, 2008 at 6:46pm:

Has anyone tried Biofreeze?  I got some from my massage therapist - it has a roller type applicator which works well for my neck and up into my scalp.

My Grandpa just got some!

I tried it on my wrist, it didn't seem to help or hurt it any. I may just try it after my next hit. if it works, good, if not, I'll apply the blue stuff.

Sauna / hot tub…. and try to relax….  no more chemistry into me…. no need to mess it even more then it is….
with “only” one major CH episode every few days, I have no right to an opinion any more….. and just enjoy
the absents of pain as long as it lasts....

Michael

I tried the biofreeze. I think it did almost as good as the blue stuff. It still feels cool on my shoulders and neck... I'll definately be trying it again for this, to see how it does me. I just wish something would make my occipital nerve calm down...


wildhaus wrote on Dec 24^th, 2008 at 1:38am:

Sauna / hot tub…. and try to relax….  no more chemistry into me…. no need to mess it even more then it is…. with “only” one major CH episode every few days, I have no right to an opinion any more….. and just enjoy the absents of pain as long as it lasts.... Michael

You always have the right to an opinion. Any information might help someone else, Michael. I'm really happy for you that the stimulator seems to be working!

I had bought some Blue Ice as I remember name may be wrong, from my chiropractor in CA 20 years ago. The stuff was awesome for back pain but it was unavailable in the stores. I have not seen it anywhere and if there is a supplier, I would definitely get more.

Roland. [smiley=thumb.gif]

I think this is the stuff, or an equivalent.

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[quote author=4C7D7A6C6669666A6B0F0 link=1229231022/11#11 date=1230110929]I had bought some Blue Ice as I remember name may be wrong, from my chiropractor in CA 20 years ago. The stuff was awesome for back pain but it was unavailable in the stores. I have not seen it anywhere and if there is a supplier, I would definitely get more.

Roland. [smiley=thumb.gif]

I think this is the stuff, or an equivalent.

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2% Menthol. :D That's what seems to be in most, if not all of the muscle rubs that seem to have helped people here.

In addition to battling clusters for 8 years, I have knee issues (cartilage damage and dislocation), so I've been through a bunch of icy hot and bengay, trying to find something that works.

There is something on the market now called ActivOn. It is FANTASTIC!! It comes in a stick, so you can apply it without getting any on your hands and the scent is minimal. I use it for my knees and back, in addition to using it on my neck in the aftermath of a cluster. I would highly recommend it.

You know, the thing that worries me is using that stuff on my skin with the state my skin is in...this cycle has turned me into an oily mass of acne  :P  and I can't even use moisturizer without it making it worse.  >:(

So I may just try it when I get the soooper-bad hits...and before anyone says anything  ;)  I am a licensed cosmetologist and I trained at the Aveda Institute, so believe me there is no moisturizer out there that I can use!!!  (except maybe my own personal recipe that I came up with years ago...which maybe I could modify to include menthol...hmmm...that bears looking into...)

UnderTheRadar wrote on Dec 26^th, 2008 at 9:50pm:

You know, the thing that worries me is using that stuff on my skin with the state my skin is in...this cycle has turned me into an oily mass of acne  :P  and I can't even use moisturizer without it making it worse.  >:( So I may just try it when I get the soooper-bad hits...and before anyone says anything  ;)  I am a licensed cosmetologist and I trained at the Aveda Institute, so believe me there is no moisturizer out there that I can use!!!  (except maybe my own personal recipe that I came up with years ago...which maybe I could modify to include menthol...hmmm...that bears looking into...)

That might actually be a good idea, if it's something that you can already use, putting some in may help. :D

I CANNOT use moisturizer. So far? Blue stuff doesn't break me out. It usually helps my skin when it's all messed up, but I attribute that to the witch-hazel. Since it' an astringent... You could also try adding some of that in, dunno how it'd work with a moisturizer tho.

If you werent' a cosmotologist I'd reccomend Lush products. It's one of the few bath companies that have things that I NEVER break out to. But it's a bit expensive... I haven't been able to afford any in a while. Their skin items are wonderful, though.