I've come across, what I think, is the most concise and well explained description of cluster headaches yet. Better than what my neuro explained. (click the link to go to the original article - the body of which is below)

Renée


Article from The Guardian, (UK) 17 Oct 2011:

Mapping the body: Trigeminal Nerve
The pain caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve has been described as the most agonising known to humankind, but what does the nerve actually do?

The number of injuries and illnesses associated with pain is inestimable. But only one is so unbearable that patients are known to be at a considerably higher than usual risk of suicide. This condition affects the trigeminal nerve.

The trigeminal is the fifth and largest of a set of 12 cranial nerves that leave the brain via an array of holes in the skull. A paired nerve, it has three main branches, referred to as the ophthalmic, maxillary and mandibular divisions. Its main function is to provide sensation to the face, but it also controls the muscles used in chewing.

Trigeminal neuralgia occurs mainly in older women, and is thought to be caused by a blood vessel causing pressure on the nerve as it leaves the brain through the skull. Its main feature is pain, often piercing, which tends to affect the lower two-thirds of one side of the face. Symptoms may be set off by something as minor as a breeze passing across the skin, and can occur without warning. Attacks last from seconds to days and recur at random. Treatment is with drugs more commonly used for epilepsy, or surgery.

The worst disorder to affect the fifth nerve is the cluster headache, which often occurs in acute periods, separated by symptom-free times. Pain occurs around the eye and is excruciating. Many experts think it is the most agonising condition known to humankind. These headaches are also thought to arise from pressure from vessels on the nerve. Dysfunction of an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, low testosterone, genetic susceptibility and smoking are cited as possible risk factors. To abort attacks, patients may take tablets, inhale high concentrations of oxygen, meditate, exercise – or even have sex.

Gabriel Weston is a surgeon and author of Direct Red: A Surgeon's Story

Very good article, thanks for sharing.  I like how they define the trigeminal nerve in simple easy to understand format.

I personally disagree with tablets, meditation and sex as abortive treatments; but that's just my 32 yrs experience.

I personally disagree with tablets, meditation and sex as abortive treatments; but that's just my 32 yrs experience

SHUSH your mouth! Still trying to convince the wife sex cures CH! ;)

Great article

Joe

Thanks for the laugh Joe, well needed. :D

Yeah, first time I heard about the sex one too. Would be interesting to get two CH sufferers together though! OK, no, stop with the mental images.

Sorry about that, no excusing my mind sometimes.

But I agree about the bulk of the article explaining things in really clear, simple to understand terms.

Renée

SHUSH your mouth! Still trying to convince the wife sex cures CH!

;) lol I had heard that sex was good for norm headaches never tryed with these, maybe if u catch them before they realy take hold but during a lvl 8-10 sex is one of the last things on our mind. Nice artical though.

MoxieGirl wrote on Oct 28^th, 2011 at 6:55am:

Yeah, first time I heard about the sex one too. Would be interesting to get two CH sufferers together though! OK, no, stop with the mental images. Sorry about that, no excusing my mind sometimes. But I agree about the bulk of the article explaining things in really clear, simple to understand terms. I know a couple of couples of clusterheads who met either through CH.com or through meet and greets because of CH.com, but they still have CH.  I've not heard of any prophylactic benefits, nor can I imagine even trying when I have one coming on.  Besides that, when I'm getting hit my personality doesn't do anything to turn on the wife.  In fact, it is quite the turn off.  I do think I might need to try it as a preventative though.  Maybe I just need a higher dosage??? ;D  (I hope my wife doesn't see this thread!) "George" Renée

Wow, great information Renee.  Thanks for posting it.

I also tend to agree with others that tablets of any sort, meditation (oh please) and sex?  If my husband even thinks about touching me when in cycle he knows he is a dead man.

But, it actually is a good article, even though I might disagree with a couple of help items.

Sandy

Sex seems to trigger them for me sometimes

Bonnie lee wrote on Nov 8^th, 2011 at 11:38am:

Sex seems to trigger them for me sometimes

Never been a trigger for me, but sadly you're not alone there. Pretty cruel the beast has to try and take that away too. :'(

Joe