I was an episodic cluster headache sufferer and my episodes started again about 4 weeks ago.  I was determined to find a reason. 

I had done the diary of food in the past, I felt that I could get to the bottom of these episodes.  I thought that perhaps I am allergic or sensitive to the byproduct of the anaerobic bacteria in my mouth.  I decided to get rid of the nasty things.  I started by scraping my tongue but that did not get rid of them.  My tongue was a little white, not the pink that a healthy tongue should be. 

I did not want to kill the aerobic bacteria in my mouth because that bacteria is good and Listerine tends to kill everything so I used hydrogen peroxide to just get to the anaerobic bacteria.  Hydrogen peroxide has an extra molecule of oxygen that it easily gives up and so when you put it on your tongue that oxygen actually kills the anaerobic bacteria hiding in the crevices.  I rolled about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide around my tongue for about 30 seconds twice a day for 2 days.  I rinsed and scraped my tongue.  Now my tongue is nice and pink.  I have been waking up feeling absolutely fantastic.  I have had no episodes and feel that I am free of these headaches.

I would like others to try this out for themselves.  Since doing this, I read about using hydrogen peroxide in your mouth to get rid of white tongue and they suggest that you dilute the hydrogen peroxide 5 parts water to 1 part hydrogen peroxide.  I would follow this instruction because that is what the doctors recommend.

Follow these instructions.

1. Scrape tongue with a tongue scraper before bed and in the morning.
2. Roll diluted hydrogen peroxide around your mouth for 30 seconds.
3.  Scrape your tongue again.
4.  Rinse
5.  Scrape your tongue once more.

Let us know if your headaches stop.

I hope you find relief as I have.

Nathan

thats interesting. nobody has come up with that before. if i was in cycle i would give it a try. thanks for posting this nathan :)

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

               Potter

hmmm...
that's an unusual solution, but I'm glad it is helping you...


I would like to point out however, that while anaerobic bacteria in your mouth may be a (abet extremely unusual) trigger for you, they are not the cause of your CH.  If you have CH, the issue is in your brain workings - not your sensitivity to oral anaerobic bacteria.

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Hey Nipomo.  It's been shown that the white tongue is causes by the beans at Jocko's.
Stay away from the beans!!!!!

Thanks, but if you read up on sinus headaches or sinusitis and its association with anaerobic bacteria, that's where the relevance lies.

Lettuce put it best. Sounds like you may have identified a substantial trigger for your CH attacks. It's always important to diferentiate between the "causes" of CH and the "triggers." Avoiding my triggers, alcohol, sleep disruptions, sustained stress and extreme hunger, will substantially reduce the number of attacks I get. But by no means does it eliminate all of my attacks, or "cure" my CH.

If you do have CH, and eliminating this trigger has temporarily halted your attacks, that's fantastic news. I would not let your guard down and would keep my meds at the ready, as if it is CH, it will rear its ugly head again.

Joe

this ...whatever this is.. in 1 post...just left 200 brochures of moto advertising crapeline kills everything and we are talking about triggers and causes??!!

what to expect next time? an aeroplane bombard? :D

I’ve used Hydrogen Peroxide to brush my teeth/tongue for many years.  It’s effective oral hygiene, but it’s clearly not a CH preventive and definitely not a CH cure.

Glad to hear that you found some relief, but if it’s CH you are dealing with you’ll be looking for another solution somewhere down the road.  The best I can wish you is that it's not CH.

burnt-toast
(Tom)

I did notice the pain of my headaches would reduce slightly if I used a teeth whitener. (Strong peroxide) Maybe some of the free O2 is getting into the blood.

I certainly was not suggesting anyone swallow hydrogen peroxide.  Please do not do that.  It is dangerous.  What I was suggesting is that the byproduct produced by the anaerobic bacteria is what was causing my CH.  I would not expect that it is a trigger for everyone but if you are in cycle, it would be nice if you tried scraping your tongue twice a day and used a little peroxide (do not swallow) to help control the numbers of anaerobic bacteria to see if it helps. 

I was quite shocked at how many posters have given up.  I can only hope most of you truly believe that this disease can be controlled.

I'm a bit confused as to why hydrogen peroxide will just kill anerobic bacteria and not touch the aerobic bacteria.

Your mouth is exposed to air which contains just over 20% oxygen, so why shouldn't this kill the anerobic bacteria anyway?

What strength hydrogen peroxide are you using?

We know, from past posts, that Ch is caused by big rock boogers.  Maybe white tongue only regulates the strength of the attacks.

I may have mislead you in my post! I haven't given up on controlling my CH. Quite the contrary, after 32 years I don't suffer but a fraction of the hits I did in the early days. Between the prevents I use and the advances in how we use oxygen, I have much more control then I ever had. I have accepted there will probably not be a cure in my lifetime, but the strides we have made in the last 10 years have all but eliminated the terror I used to feel towards CH.

If you have started a routine that has alleviated your suffering, don't change it. It's like my breathing pure oxygen. No one can say for sure WHY it works as well as it does, the fact that it works, and doesn't hurt me is enough for me.

That being said, we have a lot of high percentage prevents and aborts that have proven tried and true for thousands of sufferers. I'd strongly suggest you research these and have some at the ready.

Joe

Bob P wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2010 at 7:58am:

We know, from past posts, that Ch is caused by big rock boogers.  Maybe white tongue only regulates the strength of the attacks.

Really???
.
.
.
.
.
.

Went digging around...
Found this...
START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE
.
.
.
.
.
Still have CH...
.
.
.
.
.
Wonder if there's more up there?

narizona wrote on Aug 22^nd, 2010 at 1:02am:

I was quite shocked at how many posters have given up.  I can only hope most of you truly believe that this disease can be controlled.

We do believe it can be controlled. We just don't think tongue scraping will do it. Or having your teeth pulled...or ice bags under the sternum...or hanging upside down...or kicking the dog....IF you have CHs, and IF this is working for you, THEN TERRIFIC. That we've been there, seen that, done it and it ain't a'workin' for us doesn't mean we have surrendered to the beast. To the contrary...we fight with every means at our disposal. And if you can find even one shred of medical evidence that might link anaerobic bacteria to CHs, I'll be the first to say I was wrong, and sorry. Until then...I'd stock up on other ideas if this cycle returns with a vengeance. lance

So many make the following mistake: If it works for me, it will work for everyone.

That's where the word "cure" comes from - individual experiences.

Nobody's given up.  We simply understand that science is NOT on your side.

For one thing, you're episodic and several weeks have passed.  Chances are VERY strong that your episode would have ended on its own anyway.

The only way for you to test this is to stop using your peroxide, see if it comes back, and then see if it helps you again immediately.  Do that THREE times and you'll convince at least a few other people to try it.

Many of us (me especially) use peroxide mouthwash and have brushed with  baking soda and peroxide for years, and it makes no difference whatsoever.

Most of all, we've seen people be emotionally crushed when they thought they found something that worked for them only to go back into cycle a few months later.  They were in remission, they hadn't found a cure.

And like it or not, if you have CH, you are in remission, you have not found a cure.

I'm glad you're pain free.  But please don't peddle wacky, untested, and frankly scientifically unsound ideas to the newbies here who don't yet understand the difference between anecdote and science.

A trigger is not a cause, removing a trigger is not a cure.  The cause is in your brain, NOT in your mouth.

Also, purely from a dental health perspective, you may want to start chewing gum with xylitol to try and return the GOOD bacteria to your mouth.  Because thrush is not pretty.

Quote:

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer But my breath fogged up the glass And so I drew a new face and I laughed Jason Mraz

Potter!!!

I'm literally LOL at your post.

After reading through this string I scrolled down to the ads at the bottom. Thanks to Google we have advertisements for “Chronic Bad Breath Remedy”, “Whiten Sensitive Teeth” and “Clear Your Hemorrhoids”.  And now we have a fix for clusters. Hmmmm…hydrogen peroxide is some kinda miracle cleaner.

BobG wrote on Aug 25^th, 2010 at 6:57pm:

After reading through this string I scrolled down to the ads at the bottom. Thanks to Google we have advertisements for “Chronic Bad Breath Remedy”, “Whiten Sensitive Teeth” and “Clear Your Hemorrhoids”.  And now we have a fix for clusters. Hmmmm…hydrogen peroxide is some kinda miracle cleaner.

The internet scares me in that deep, dark, hidden part of your tummy.....makes me want my mommy! :-/

Joe

Guiseppi wrote on Aug 25^th, 2010 at 7:02pm:

BobG wrote on Aug 25th, 2010 at 6:57pm: After reading through this string I scrolled down to the ads at the bottom. Thanks to Google we have advertisements for “Chronic Bad Breath Remedy”, “Whiten Sensitive Teeth” and “Clear Your Hemorrhoids”.  And now we have a fix for clusters. Hmmmm…hydrogen peroxide is some kinda miracle cleaner. The internet scares me in that deep, dark, hidden part of your tummy.....makes me want my mommy! :-/ Joe

;D
<Ginger S. Pats Joe on the Head>
There, there Joe it will be alright. 
;D

At least it doesn't involve DRINKING hydrogen peroxide.  We had that suggestion a couple years ago.  (Some sort of homoepathic thing--X drops of H2O2 dissolved in water.)  

Best,

George