I'm a little confused on this subject but looking forward to learning.
Early on in my journey that is Cluster headaches, you learn that there is no known cause or cure.
The cure bit I get as it's all about pain management but to me there seems to be many causes
Or is it that there are plenty of theories but nothing has been proven,
there is more than one cause,
something like a defective hypothalamus is a contributing factor but not a cause.
Is it that, although we know the pain comes from the trigeminal nerve, we don't know what sets fire to it
Although CH's have been my companion for quite a few years, I'm relatively new to understanding the whole concept. I understand most of what I read on the subject but having problems putting it all together in a straight line.

Or is that the whole point, you can't and if your lucky you just find a way to limit it's impact on your life

Hope this made some sort of sense

Hi,
I don't think any one knows the answer. If they did we would not all suffer the way we do. The little I understand is that they know what happens, but they don't know why.

A blood vessel in your head dilates and puts pressure on the trigeminal nerve. It has been shown in scans that while this is happening the hypothalmus is very active. But they don't know if the over active hypothalmus causes the vein to dilate or the other way round. What came first, the chicken or the egg!!! The body clock is definitely involved, hence the cycles and the uncanny way the pain seems to know the time.

There is little research done because the condition is rare and there would be no profit in it for the big pharm companies who sponsor research. It always amazes me that cluster headaches are deemed to be the most painful condition known to medical science, and yet very few seem to care.

If the human body was a model of car no one would buy it.......too many design faults. The answer is out there somewhere and we can only hope it is found soon.
Maz.

From what I have read it all boils down to a faulty
hypothalamus our body clock.

Hoppy.

Since this board has been here, we've tried and tried to find a commonality between us (what causes us to have these things) and so far - all we've come up with is -- We're all different and we all have different triggers.

And what works to alleviate my pain probably won't work worth a darn on you.. that's what makes it so darn frustrating.

I think we should just be thankful for each pain-free day we have and not tax our brains too much about the why-fores and what-ifs..

Right now D3 is working for me and I'm grateful each day for that.. I don't even try to explain it -- it's just working..  :-*

The best understanding at this point is the hypothalamus is the cause, but the understanding of what causes it in the hypothalamus is very vague.  All we know is the hypothalamus sends out goofy signals that start the action.  This doesn't explain anything about why certain things trigger non-scheduled hits.

As Barbara said, there isn't a whole lot of point in worrying about the whys, other than learning of any potential triggers. 

Jerry

The amazing variability of CH with what works for some people not working for others, etc. makes me wonder if there are several different causes of CH, all starting with the hypathalamus, but there are multiple mechanisms involved.

Thanks for the responses
It's clear it's not clear
As many of you said, the big clue could be the incredible number and varied treatments out there which could indicate many causes.
The one common link everyone has is the incredible pain we experience which on the upside brings us all to this place (gotta look for the silver lining !)

I have always had the 'theory' that the head is merely suffering the symptom of a problem elsewhere... possibly the heart. Back when they discovered Patent Foramen Ovale - I thought that might be it... but nothing.
Many possibilities, no real answers.

BarbaraD wrote on May 30^th, 2014 at 8:23am:

Since this board has been here, we've tried and tried to find a commonality between us...

Everyone with CH has never sent me beer.

Everyone who has sent me beer has never had CH.

Over the past 15 years i've been on CH.com, a diseased hypothalamus seems to be rather unanimous. 

Personally, I believe CH's are caused by a Dopamine imbalance, that triggers the hypothalamus, which triggers the trigeminal nerve, which creates onset of each attack. :-X

-Gregg in Las Vegas

AussieBrian wrote on Jun 11^th, 2014 at 8:30am:

BarbaraD wrote on May 30th, 2014 at 8:23am: Since this board has been here, we've tried and tried to find a commonality between us... Everyone with CH has never sent me beer. Everyone who has sent me beer has never had CH.

…about once a week I go to the grocery store FULLY intending to buy beer for brother Brian…I swear!

…this…unfortunately…is a fools parade from the git go…because…as everyone knows…you CANNOT purchase beer…you can only RENT it!

…it all starts when I get home…and coming from a Quality Control background…I always feel compelled to sample a “rental” unit…just to be sure…. ya know? But, after the first one….it becomes Brian who?...and ...pretty soon…alas, no more beer! I ALWAYS feel deeply guilty…. [smiley=grin2.gif]

..now then…all is not completely lost….there are always copious quantities of processed/recycled beer…same color…with a good head too!....that I would be HAPPY to send along….I await instruction……

Faithfully yours,

jon


Oh....and I subscribe to the theory, perhaps paraphrased, espoused by a dearly missed Helen LeLimey that it's "a wonky hypo-thinga-ma-jiggy"...defective hypothalamus to us lesser mortals

Jon,

You never fail to bring a smile to my face, and usually a laugh along with it!  Thanks, my friend.

Jerry