Hello,
I am a 40yo male and I believe I may have just recently started experiencing cluster headaches.  I don't have any history of migraines or severe headaches, in fact, I almost never get headaches and that's why it has been very easy for me to identify these recent episodes as "abnormal."  I'm scheduled to go see my doctor tomorrow afternoon and I've created a brief chronology of these headaches:
Wed night - headache after a glass of wine and TV.  Took a (narcotic) @ 11pm
Thur night - nothing
Fri night - had a couple beers at dinner and one after.  Sudden headache at 9pm.  Took a (narcotic) and went to bed
Sat -  Sudden headache at (4:30pm) after a long bike ride earlier that morning.  Took 3 advil and drank some Pepsi...lasted about 20 min.  No alcohol that day.  
Sat night - woke with headache at about 12AM for about 30 min.
Sun night - Had a few beers in the evening.  woke with headache about 12:30am for 20 min

When I say headache, I mean severe pain on the right side of my head, focused behind my eye with a lot of temple pain as well.  I have not noticed congestion or eye droop during these headaches but the pain does shoot down to my ear and below.  I thought I might have an ear infection as I swim twice a week and 2 of my kids have had swimmers ear recently.

I'll let ya'll knwo what my doctor says tomorrow and this looks like a great board.  Good to see all the help and advice.

Thanks,

Hello and welcome,

Hopefully you do not suffer from clusters and it is swimmers ear. In the mean time have a look at the cluster quiz and kip scale to your left and these two pieces of info will give you a better understanding of the traits and pain levels associated with CH's.

Let us know how you get on with the Doc and fingers crossed that will be your last post in relation to CH's. ;)


Lefty...!

Hi KLX and welcome. I am glad you are keeping a headache journal, that will be good for monitoring your headache cycles and triggers. I noticed that most your nights you consumed alchohol were met with headaches. Many people here find they have to completely eliminate certain foods/drinks during cycle. Alchohol is certainly a common trigger.

Best of luck with the doctor, as Lefty said, let us know how it goes. Be sure to talk to him/her about oxygen.

Glad you found us, but hope you don't need to stay!  I have had swimmers ear, and while it is in the same area it isn't even close.  I hope yours is different though.

If it isn't swimmers ear definitely check out the cluster quiz to your left as was mentioned.  That is not a diagnosis, but it does provide some indicators.  If it is CH narcotics will do nothing for you but cause probs down the road.  You need to check out oxygen.  See the yellow button to the left.

Feel free to ask questions.  We'll try to help.

Jerry