Im Jacob, 19, in the US Army stationed in Alaska. fairly healthy, workout 6-7 days a week, drink lots of water. unfortunately my father has cluster headaches. I obviously knew about it growing up, kinda hard not to, but he always said it doesn't run genetically in families. Ive done a bit of research and read that it is possible though rare. Im posting here because of a little worry, for about a week now ive been getting headaches every night, just yesterday I started getting them mid-day as well. I got one earlier than normal over the weekend while I was drinking at a friends house. its not as severe as ive witnessed my father experience but it seems to be the same symptoms, sharp stabbing pain behind my right eye and temple, droopy eye, tearing up. they normally come around the same time, about 10 o clock at night, and just recently at around noon. Do these usually start off in a low less painful stage and get worse over the years? or do I have nothing to be worried about? :-/

Hi Sapper,
CH's like migraines are known to be heredity, although in
CH's its quite rare. Best to check in with your doc, and
mention your dad suffers from CH's, and you should be
able to get a proper diagnosis.

Hereditary factors are significant in migraine and might be expected to be important in the cluster headache syndrome because of their mechanistic and pharmacologic similarities. However, it is uncommon to find other examples of cluster headache in the family history. Among Kudrow's (1980) 495 patients, 18 reported the presence of the syndrome in a parent. Migraine occurs no more frequently among the cluster headache population than among random population than among random populations (Andersson, 1985). When migraine predates the commencement of cluster attacks, migraine usually ceases when the cluster attacks begin (Bickerstaff, 1959); thus, although these disorders are biologically distinct, their mechanisms are probably connected.

Could be any of a million things, Jacob, or nothing at all.

Even so, it's well worth discussing it with a doctor. Might even be worth keeping a diary to list when headaches start, how long they last, level of pain, the weather, what you've just eaten or drunk.

Finding a pattern can help lots.

Please let us know how you're getting on and how we can help.

Hey Jacob !
solid info from Hoppy and excellent advice from Brian. The best thing you can do is to work with a qualified physician for the proper diagnosis. Not sure how your dad is doing, but this site has been helpful to many who have suffered. As far as whether or not CH tend to get worse, there seems to be little for certain when it comes to dealing with the beast.
some have found that they get worse, while for others they disipate over time. for myself perhaps I was stronger when I was your age and able to deal with it better, or it got worse, but could be a combination of both. Either way, coming to this site and finding the knowledge and support allowed me to better cope with the condition.
Hoping you get a proper diagnosis and that you feel better soon. Whatever the outcome, let us know. if in fact it is CH you have our understanding and support.
Thanks for your service, and hang in there !   

When Cluster is starting to appear the signs and symptoms are often unstable, pain sites change, degree of pain vaiet, etc.

Given your location and being in service I doubt that your local docs will have the experience to diagnose and treat you.

When I was in the USAF Medical sevice this was not a great problem for we could load you on a plane and send to a medical center for a work-up. I hope that your local doc will not blow you off to quickly on the need for a skilled headache specialist.

Take the cluster quiz, left edge of this page, and give to any doc you see.

You may have to deal with a doc who both lacks knowledge of complex headache disorders and who doesn't recognize his limitations. Get back if you have this kind of reaction.

Thanks for all the replys, very good information for me. As far as pain level goes I just had a headache about 2.5 hours ago. none have been extreme to the point where I cant be in the room with others, but it was bad enough that I missed everything in the class I was in. Its hard to focus, cant stop myself from holding my eye, kinda wanna just go walk down the hall and get away from everyone. I ended up walking outside the building for a couple minutes an on the walk out there the pain seemed to dissipate a little bit. They haven't been bad enough that ive screamed or yelled. that's what bothers me, it seems from all the other symptoms that its point towards CH but the fact that level of pain is no where near what ive seen my father experience is whats trumping me. maybe its just a regular headache and im just paranoid

No two of us are the same, so the pain level will vary from person to person.  Even your own individual attacks can vary each time. That's one of the many difficulties with CH - it can change so often that you have no definate reference point.(Hope that makes sense).

In my own case my attacks have been far more frequent than they used to be, but also much milder, so I have that to be thankful for.

On the left of your screen is a blue tab entitled "cluster quiz". Give it a go as it may clarify things for you.

Let us know how you get along.
Maz.

When my cycle first started 6 years ago,I remember them being painful,but I could function somewhat.
My last cycle came in the summer last year and the first one I had
Made me think this is what a gunshot to the head feels like.
Didn't have my first kip 10 until 3 years ago.
For me they seem to get worse every cycle.