How do you guys describe the pain of a cluster headache when someone asks?  It seems like I can never find a description that's even close to accurate.

I don't.  Usually.

They have no common ground.

Best,

George

Saw my wife pass a kidney stone a couple months back and thought that if someone passed 8-10 of those a day they might have an understanding.
buhrly

Print and hand them this:

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Like the others, I usually don't try. But once in awhile, probably out of perversity, I will say something like: have you ever had a dentist hit a nerve on your tooth when you weren't numb? Imagine that pain in your eye, every time your heart beats, for 45 minutes at a time, 3 or 4 times a day. But they promptly forget and ask how my migraines are doing. S'Okay. blessings. lance

Someone suggested comparing it to the intensity of your worst slurpy brain freeze...that then goes on for 2 hours! :D

But yeah, they really have nothing to compare it to, so I pretty much don't try.

Joe

wimsey1 wrote on Sep 12^th, 2011 at 7:58am:

But they promptly forget and ask how my migraines are doing.

I get that all the time.  Drives me nuts.

Like someone hit me inside my head with a 2x4.

For those who I share my medical secret with I describe as follows....

"Imagine the worst Migraine Headache you've ever had and magnify the intensity by 1 million" :'(

"Women have described it worse pain than natural child birth" :'(

"Feels like a burning hot steel rod poker continually stabbing into the center of my eye with a vice grip clenching my skull" :'(

"Torture by the Devil himself" :'(

"Unilateral intense constant pain affecting the eye, forehead temple, nostril, jaw and neck" :'(

NOTE: I only share my description of CH's with loved ones, friends, my employer, doctors and others afflicted by headaches.

What Joe said.  In fact, a brain freeze can trigger a hit for me.

Jerry

Those who have not experienced it, have no basis for comparison, so I don't even try. I tell them , if they ask, to goggle it or refer them to this site.

Friends and business associates have been aware of the many cycles over the years and a good number of them have actually researched it a bit, (morbid curiosity no doubt.... ;) )

As a result, they are very compassionate.

Brain freeze is the only pain that I've had that is similar to CH pain. If I'm not mistaken, I believe a brain freeze actually causes pain in the trigeminal nerve. the same nerve that causes CH pain. I had one of the worst brain freezes the other day while eating a Frosty from Wendy's and the pain felt nearly like a CH, but about 10 times less. Usually when I tell people its like a brain freeze but 10 times worse, they understand.