hello everyone, i just got home from my awesome stay at the hospital!  its kind of a long story so ill keep it short.

Last friday i woke up with another really bad cluster headache and noticed that my under my jaw on the right side(the CH side) it was starting to get sore.  friday night my whole jaw on my right side got so swollen i looked like i had a grapefruit or two in my mouth.  Saturday morning it felt like the headaches were back and my jaw hurt soooo bad i went to the walk in clinic for my jaw.  got home and about noon on saturday my fiance was out shopping and i had such a bad attack i had to go to the ER.  she came home to me in for the pain, and they decided to keep me overnight because they were worried the swelling might block my airway. 

So, after 5 days in the hospital we pretty much came to the conclusion that a tooth a dentist had worked on 2 months prior had gotten really infected.  We got it under control and i go to an oral surgean tomorow to possibly get it removed. 

My theory on the cluster headache thing is that my tooth started getting infected a couple days or more before the headaches hit.  So that triggered the cluster headaches.  because i didnt feel anything in my mouth until i was about 5 days into my episode.  then both the infection and headaches were hittin me at once.  they did what they could in the hospital for my pain.  the headaches quit then after i was on iv antibiotics for about a day and a half. 

the swellings down, not gone, but i feel so much better. and no more headaches!! well until i get the hospital bill :'(

Wow, glad you got that straightened out.

I suppose it puts the pain of CH in perspective doesn't it.  An infected tooth is nothing compared to CH.

-Dennis-

Glad you got that sorted out!  It reinforces the need we all have to pay attention to what is going on in our bodies.  We tend to either belittle other pains or we ignore them when it could be something serious. 

Take care of yourself and shake that infection.  They can be a bear to get rid of, but you know what it does now.

Jerry

Been there done that Bob, minus the hospital. I feel for you.

Many years ago I developed a major tooth infection while deep into CH cycles, in the middle of nowhere, walking across southern wyoming 3 days from anywhere.

I ended up pulling (more like digging) the tooth out myself. I remember sitting in the snow with my head spinning and wondering would anyone find me if I died.
What a huge relief later, not having two pains grinding on the nerve from both ends.

I had allmost learned to live with the CH but the tooth in combination was another story.

i agree ive had CHs for so long now i have learned to deal with them.  but when the pain from both of them combined it was unbearable.  i could tell when i had an attack and when it was over.  i had pain in my jaw and my head, but when the attack was over i still had half the pain in my jaw.  that first night in the hospital was just terrible, i actually woke up last night with thinking i was still in the hospitall, it was scary.  I dont think i wouldve had to stay in the hospital but they were concerned it might block my airway. 

oh yah and the day i went to the er i had gone to the walk in clinic earlier that day.  that doctor looked at my mouth and prescribed me 10 pills of amoxicyllan.  you know the stuff that doest do anything.  well in the hospitall i was on 3 much stronger antibiotics thru an iv, now ive got 2 scripts for clindamycin, and levaquin.  no god dam amoxicyllan, stupid doctor.

but i cant thank all the nurses and everyone in the hospital when i was there, they took such good care of me and i am so gratefull for them.  :)