Hi all, I am a smoker and have had CHs for many years now. I am wondering if most people who suffer from CH smokers or have smoked in the past? or do CH affect non-smokers, people who never smoked, as much as smokers/ex-smokers?
Thierry

1134 individuals completed the survey (816 male, 318 female). 868 patients had episodic CH (male: female 2.9:1) while 266 had chronic CH (male:female 1.8:1). Highlights: 71% had their first ever CH at 30 years of age or younger, 35% 20 years of age or younger, while 20% of CCH started after age 40 years vs 10% ECH. Predominant eye color was blue 33%, brown 33% and hazel 21%. Brown eye color was most common in ECH; blue most common in CCH. Diagnosis was typically initially made by a general practitioner or a general (non headache specialist) neurologist. Average time to correct diagnosis was usually either less than 1 year (25%) or 10 years plus (22%). 73% had a smoking history and 72% had at least one parent who smoked while the patient lived with that parent. 45% continued to smoke at the same rate as before CH onset. 16% had never smoked prior to CH onset.

Here's a link to the whole survey, pretty fascinating stuff....

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I never smoked but chewed Coppenhagen in High School.....one of my marriage vows was to knock that off! (Thank you Christy :))

JOe

Hiya Thierry...methinks it matters not...there are 10's of millions of smokers...and yet we are orphans...that a large % of clusterheads smoke or smoked could have LOTS of reasons...to quote my favorite guru...Bob...correlation does NOT equal cause...

Best,

Jon

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Of 12,000 clusterheads surveyed, 52% smoke.

I doubt smoking triggers it.......quitting sure doesn't get rid of them either. (my experience)

And it might not be that smoking increases the chance of you getting CH, it could easily be the opposite way around that what causes CH can increase the chance of you taking up smoking.

I was 30 years a pacer. Quit smoking and became a rocker overnight.

If I thought quitting smoking would make them quit I'd buy a pack tonight and start, just so I could quit next week.

Never smoked.  Diagnosed at 23+/-.  I know I suffered them in a mild form as a teen.  Episodic until about 10 yrs ago, chronic since.  I'm 58 now.

Jerry

Lots of ongoing conversations of this subject over the years...i've met 100+ CH'ers and can honestly state that most did smoke.  Whether or not it is related, who knows? 

I think the emotional stress that CH's create upon us are actually a reason why so many CH'ers do smoke, and drink alcohol, and have compulsive behaviors. 

I am a believer that a dopamine imbalance is the main cause to CH's. 

Regardless what anybody believes, there's just not enough $ to do any type of valid research at all with this nightmare we live with and unfortunately nobody famous/wealthy is willing to step up to the plate and donate some research dollars.

But back to cancer sticks...one would logically think that the odds of 4,000+ chemical compounds and 43+ carcinogens and 16+ toxins in a single burning cigarette certainly would make one wonder if 1+ ingredient might possibly be a trigger. 

As for initial onset, I think it's highly doubtful as there are way too many CH'ers that have never smoked at all.  Go figure!

-Gregg in Las Vegas

Smoked for 12 years, quit for 17, smoked for 12, now smoke-free for six-months. and counting. No correlation between smoking and headaches for me. Don't miss it too much.

One of my bouts, after several years of “missing” them, started when I had quit smoking for about a year and a half.

I had my last one in 2009, and was already smoking again when that one started. Recently I stopped smoking, but use electronic cigarettes instead – and feeling much, much better with that in terms of respiration, coughing, taste and physical condition.

Except for one “tiny” detail: About 10 days after I started e-smoking, a new cluster bout set in – after 4 years of remission!

Not sure if there is a connection there, or just coincidence. And if there is a connection, if it would be the fact of not smoking normal cigarettes any more, or the fact of smoking the electronic cigarettes that would have caused the devil to return?

I been smoking for about 10 years and I got them before I started.  I also quit to see if that would stop them, it did not.  I quit when I got a cycle going and they were still just as frequent as ever.  I dont know doctors always tell me to stop that thats prolly the reason but I dont think it is.

LasVegas wrote on Mar 29^th, 2013 at 3:09am:

I think the emotional stress that CH's create upon us are actually a reason why so many CH'ers do smoke, and drink alcohol, and have compulsive behaviors.

A broken hypothalmas plays a part in clusters headaches. The hypothalmus also plays a part in habits, additictions and compulsive behaviors.
Is there a connection? I have no idea.