Hi,
I'm new to the forums, Im a 24 year old female who has been having the exact same type of headache for over a year now. I have seen my doctor about it, and she just thinks I have migraines triggered by tension in my neck, but I don't think that she's correct.
I get my headaches once a week usually, occurring on either Monday nights and continuing until Tuesday evening, or on Tuesday mornings until Wednesday afternoons. I can usually feel them coming when I start to get twinges of pain in my right temple and at the base of my head on the right side. Like clockwork, within an hour I'm in extreme pain on the right side of my head, mostly behind my eye and at the temple. The right side of my neck also hurts. It almost feels like someone has stuck a rod up through the base of my head to the back of my eye and is just pushing as hard as possible.
The extreme pain usually lasts 30 minutes, sometimes up to an hour. Then I feel a dullish throb for an hour, then the extreme pain again. This goes on for about 36 hours. I don't get relief from resting or sleeping, and painkillers do nothing. Sometimes muscle relaxants help. I had a pain-free month in December but the headaches seem to have started up again. I had a spinal tap and head CT in Sept, and everything looks normal.
I'm incredibly frustrated by my doctor brushing off my symptoms, I feel invalidated.
Does this sound like CH?

Hi tashabear and welcome,
Your headaches have all the hallmarks of CH's, so your best bet now is to get a referral from your doctor to a headache specialist for a confirmed diagnosis and treatment plan, in the meantime take the cluster headache quiz to see if it ticks all the boxes, the link is to your left on this page.

Cheers Hoppy

Thank you for your reply! I took the quiz and it said I likely have cluster headaches. I didn't think about getting a referral, but I will definitely look into that. My dad is a doctor and he was the one that suggested I may have cluster headaches, so I'm thinking, unfortunately, that I do :(

tashabear wrote, I'm incredibly frustrated by my doctor brushing off my symptoms, I feel invalidated. Sorry to have to say but the majority of doctors haven't got much of a clue when it comes to diagnosing and treating CH's, so I wouldn't dilly dally,you need to see a headache specialist to get a proper diagnosis and medication.

Hoppy

Doesn't sound like any cluster headache I've ever heard of.

Bob P wrote, Doesn't sound like any cluster headache I've ever heard of.

After having ruled out any other nasties, the pain in the temple and behind the eye are classic symptoms of a CH, the continuing throbbing headache could be severe shadows or even a migraine, which is not unheard of to be suffering from both CH's and migraine headaches.

Cheers Hoppy

It sounds like CH's for the most part the one thing that throws me off is the "up to 36 hours" part.  Now I don't know about most of you but when I have an attack they usually last and hour and go away and I'm completely fine.  I may get one an hour later or 2 and this could go on all day but I usually don't feel a constant pain for up to 36 hours.  For the most part though sounds like your screwed, sorry I try to use humor to combat these things :D

Sorry to read of your pain and frustrations. You came to the right place for CH's. Not sure if you have them based on your description, ut a doctor would be able to know best by running tests, understanding your symptoms, etc and getting a diagnosis for proper treatment to rid the pain and suffering.

It appears you doubt your doctor and are not 100% pleased with this doctor. Where do you reside? Maybe we could steer you in the direction to another doctor we are aware of that is located near you. Let us know..and we'll help you find somebody else who is recommended by CH sufferers who reside near you.

Always recommend to do lots of reading here and asking questions. You are not alone, be strong! ;)

Gregg in Las Vegas