I want to first off say hi to all and I think this is a wonderful idea. I have suffered from "The Beast" for 30 years now and have been on all types of meds. I am 53 years old and for more than half of my life have suffered from these depilitating headaches. I want to share something with everyone as far as my own expieriences go. The one thing that nips my cluster in the bud is push-ups. I have purchased push-up bars that are about 6 inches off the ground and give me that extra distance to work out my body. This REALLY works if you can do it. The problem with us is the neck gets tight and the blood "POOLS' inside the lining ig the membraine that covers the brain and the dialated blood vessles put pressure on the nerve endings causing this excrutiating pain. The idea here is to force the blood out of the head through excersizing the muscles in the arms and chest. These are the closest to the head.  When we work out the muscles need blood to nourish them and the flow of blood releases from the head and right to the arms and hands. You can actually feel the blood leaving your head and instant relief is acquired. If you catch this early enough ...when you feel the neck getting tight you won't get the head pain. I know this sounds hard and sometimes very difficult but it really works. If you can't do push-ups get the hand grips that you squeeze and work out your hands. I did this however I broke two pairs and found that push-ups work faster. I hope this helps someone. Plus you stay in great shape ..LOL!!

While I'd say your theory on why this happens to us is, well, out there, I'm glad you've found something that works.

The central, effective, element is increased oxygen flow, regardless of the form of exercise. Exercise has been noted in the medical literature, from time to time, as an abortive for an attack and, of course, is the core process with the use of oxygen which has become so popular on these pages.
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But we also have reports that any activity which increases body temperature can, for some, trigger an attack, i.e., only personal trial and error will resolve the question.

Lancet. 1999 Sep 18;354(9183):1001-2.
Comment in:
Lancet. 2000 Jan 8;355(9198):147.

A new cluster headache precipitant: increased body heat.

Blau JN, Engel HO.

Exercise, a hot bath, or elevated environmental temperature provoked cluster headaches, within 1 h, in 75 out of 200 patients. This new observation accords with recognised precipitants--alcohol, histamine, and gyceryl trinitrate--perhaps via generalised vasodilatation or hypothalamic activation.

Publication Types:
Letter

PMID: 10501368 [PubMed]