Hi,
I've had CH's for 10 years, and theres no doubt thats what I get. However this latest bout, which just started, has motivated me to try and solve the problem, once again.

I've been trying to notice what my triggers are, besides alcohol. I've always known that if I keep myself busy, I was usually safe, and that it was usually after I sat or laid down for a bit, that I got hit.

I used to nod off after lunch at this one job, and more often then not, I would wake up with the beast. The one common factor, was I always had my neck in one position for a prolong time. However every new bout/cluster seems to be a little different then the others when it comes to triggers/patterns.

Sometimes its am mainly, now its PM mainly. Even while I'm being hit, I find sitting up straight helps. I've been in a few roll-overs, and I've buggered my neck a bit. I wonder if its a possible blood-vessel getting constricted in my neck that might be at the root of my problem.

Anyone feel their neck may have a part to play in their CH's? Have a neck injury somewhat soon before your CH's started?

What you're describing is very common. Many find as soon as they start to relax or "let down" they get hit. You'll see people's tag lines that say never relax, always stay up. In high cycle I'll stay pumped up on coffee all day...specifically Starbucks Latte's.....my on cycle vice :D!....just to try and avoid the let down hit.

Naps while on cycle are a no-no as that's begging for a hit.

Joe

I had lower back surgery last Sept. on L4-5. Then March 3rd I had cervical disc fusion in my neck on C5-6. My cycle started up last week of April. The lower back surgery is not bothering me too much now but my neck is in severe pain 24 hrs a day still. I wondered if having all that pain in my neck had "woke up" my attacks since the last attack was over a year ago. But it's also Spring when mine usually start, Spring or Fall. Had degenerative disc disease in neck over 9 yrs but CH or neuralgia started in 1988. Going to nuerologist July 16 and had plans of asking if the neck pain could have started this back in, but how many times I had it before with no neck pain. Just seems that there's no way to know.

Diamond Lucidity wrote on May 29^th, 2010 at 3:12am:

I had lower back surgery last Sept. on L4-5. Then March 3rd I had cervical disc fusion in my neck on C5-6. My cycle started up last week of April. The lower back surgery is not bothering me too much now but my neck is in severe pain 24 hrs a day still. I wondered if having all that pain in my neck had "woke up" my attacks since the last attack was over a year ago. But it's also Spring when mine usually start, Spring or Fall. Had degenerative disc disease in neck over 9 yrs but CH or neuralgia started in 1988. Going to nuerologist July 16 and had plans of asking if the neck pain could have started this back in, but how many times I had it before with no neck pain. Just seems that there's no way to know.

That last line is one of the most frustrating aspects of CH. Whether it's establishing triggers for individual attacks, or for whole cycles, there's no knowing for sure if it's a causative factor, or just beastie morphing again.

Joe

Maybe exacerbated by neck problems, but if it were a root cause, a chiropractor would be able to fix ch.

as far as i can figure the nerve that ignites when a hit occures is the trimingeile (cant spell and i dont reconize puncuation)and it runs from the neck to the eye along the nasal passage i too wondered if neck position was a trigger im starting to think that anything that aggervates this nerve triggers signals to the brains pain center wether it be sinuses allergies neck problems muscles pulling or releaseing vertabrea out of line or changes in signals from the hypothalimus or intercranial pressures there has to be something about that nerve that makes it hypersensitive kinda like pepole who suffer from rsd

It has been quite some time since we had a long thread on pressure points which triggered an attack.

Some years ago I could not sleep on my back without triggering an attack and sitting in a chair which put pressure on my kidney area would also trigger. The sitting business was so  clear that, having learned the early signals, jumping up immediately would abort development of a full attack.

But, as with so many CH things, as I recall the final list (from our sharing) was quite varied and, likely, more a subject of curiosity than of clinical value.

I dont sleep much as I always seem to wake to ch. I have been in 2 bad car accidents injuring my neck and many times my neck bothers me during a ch.  I do not venture out into the sunlight or bright lights as this too triggers ch's for me.

This is slightly off topic but since we're discussing the sitting being a trigger thing...

My sister is in school for massage therapy and this week she learned that trigeminal neuralgia is somehow exacerbated by sciatica.  She has a woman disabled with trigeminal neuralgia that comes to the school for discount massages because working on sciatica seems to help her have less head pain for a couple of days, so the idea certain positions could be a trigger seems possible to me.

That being said, I spent thousands on chiropractors before I found this site and it never did anything for me but empty my wallet.

I do, and I think it may involve more than just the neck as well.

The last 4 cycles ive delt with were diferent than the other in the fact that my neck would hurt almost as much at times, more often than not before the attack really began.  I found in the past that by grabbin that nerve in my neck a squeeseing hard I could suprisingly shut the pain off in my head, that was untill I let go where it came rushing back. 

Now I wouldnt recoment tryin that for anyones CH's, i personnaly believe that, THAT is what changed my CH's and added my neck to the torture.  I think ive damaged the area or the nerve iteself after the last few times of doin that.  But since then my neck has always tightened up first before an attack began.  I've never done that to my neck again.

This newest cycle on the otherhand has been very strange, started may 15th, first two or three days of it were light, but after that all hell broke loose.  The last week thou, no serious CH's, a CONSTANT kip 2-3 at all times, but nothing more than that. 

The thing that I found the strangest, and the whole reason I bring it up, is that my neck has been tight and tense the whole cycle with a few exceptions.  And not just my neck, my back decided to join in as well this cycle.  It literally follows a line of tight tension from the base of my neck, and inch or so to the right, ( im right sided) to about 3 inches or so below my shoulderblades..   always an inch or so away from my spine, like a lil burnin line down my back.

Not sure if it helps much, but since our condition deals alot with the nervous system, it stands to reason that there may be some bleed off to other nerves or may be directly associated with them.  Makes me wonder if chineese acuepuncture might help any of us.

Quote:

Makes me wonder if chineese acuepuncture might help any of us.

I don't know about that. I do know almost all alternative health professionals I have encountered are absolutely sure they can "cure" CHs, and quite often, they haven't clue one what a CH really is. Once in awhile I'll find a truly righteous professional who admits they can't and won't attempt to treat something so complex.

Postional triggers: I also find relaxing and napping are a no-no. And while watching TV any sustained pressure on the occipital region (right side mostly where I always am affected) will initiate an attack. So...I rest and watch TV sitting up, and sleep on my side or stomach. And that's the name of that tune...for me.

Busy, not busy, resting or not makes no difference with my CH.   I get hit whenever the beast decides I'm ripe for torture. 

The only thing I have noticed with Positional triggers, is that I can no longer sleep with my head resting on the side of my CH attacks, it is a trigger.  I have them on the left side of my head so no laying with my head resting on the left side.    :o

JustNotRight wrote on Jun 19^th, 2010 at 8:32am:

Busy, not busy, resting or not makes no difference with my CH.   I get hit whenever the beast decides I'm ripe for torture.  The only thing I have noticed with Positional triggers, is that I can no longer sleep with my head resting on the side of my CH attacks, it is a trigger.  I have them on the left side of my head so no laying with my head resting on the left side.    :o

You gotta hand it to the beast...he's pretty damned efficient at teaching you your triggers!!! ;)

Joe

Guiseppi wrote on Jun 19^th, 2010 at 9:24am:

JustNotRight wrote on Jun 19th, 2010 at 8:32am: Busy, not busy, resting or not makes no difference with my CH.   I get hit whenever the beast decides I'm ripe for torture.  The only thing I have noticed with Positional triggers, is that I can no longer sleep with my head resting on the side of my CH attacks, it is a trigger.  I have them on the left side of my head so no laying with my head resting on the left side.    :o You gotta hand it to the beast...he's pretty damned efficient at teaching you your triggers!!! ;) Joe

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