Hi Everyone,

I have been suffering from migraines since the age of 14. I am now 37. My migraines started with a stabbing pain in the forehead, aura, and ended with vomitting. Those headaches stopped around age 20.  For many years now, I've had what I still described as a migraine or sinus headache. It is characteristic as stabbing pain behind my right eyeball, EXCRUCIATING right neck and right shoulder pain, squeezing sensation down the right side of my arm and leg, pressure in right side of nose, nasal congestion, and pressure in top row of teeth on right side. I also have two small knots in my knock that harden and are really painful when I get these headaches. I also will have a lump that protrudes out of my neck during the headache. >:( Even once the headache I will occassionally have soreness at the base of the skull as well. This headache is debilitating to say the least.  :'(  NOTHING (percocet, excedrin, amitriptylene, morphine) will take the pain away! My doc gave me samples of Immatrex and if I take it at the onset then it's a godsend.  This headache can lasts for two weeks sometime and I feel a little disoriented for a day after. 99% of the time it is on the right side and when I think it's over it will jump over to the left side. Ugggh.   

I also periodically experience a shooting burning pain through my nostril, right through my teeth, through one eye, it's EXCRUCIATING and BAM it's over!  What the heck is that!

I spent hours last night trying to find out what was wrong with me and it seems that cluster headaches describe exactly what I go through, only the duration is much longer.

Do my symptoms sound like cluster headaches?

Thanks so much.

You will certainly get lots of help here - but you might want to have a look at the "cluster quiz" - tabs on the left side of your screen.

Carol

The quiz may help a bit but we don't diagnose.

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.

2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE; On-line screen to find a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

6. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.

Hello and Welcome . . . sorry for your pain.

  DO check out the links Bob posted above.

  Many here suffer multiple types of headaches . . . and you might be in that category. . . . but correct diagnosis is essential.  Most of us have had CTs, MRIs (which will come back "normal" if CH), but are necessary to rule out other causes which might be more serious. 

  Some of your symptoms sound like CH ("excruciating, then bam it's over"), others do not.  We might have "shadows" that last for long periods and persist between attacks, but a full-blown CH attack lasting two weeks . . . no way . . .wouldn't be survivable.

  You need a headache specialist to identify what type(s) of headache(s) you're dealing with. 

  Be Safe,   PFDANs

     Richard