I am new here but urgent care pointed me here.  I feel an attack coming so I'll make it brief.

3 weeks ago I started feeling pain in my upper jaw, teeth.  Same time within a couple hours every day.  Progressed to solid pain on one side of my head, and my eye shuts, waters.  Teeth throb, already two trips to dentist working on a tooth.

Some days one attack.  Some days 4.  Now they last longer.

My only relief is sitting upright and completely still. 

Sure seems centered on a tooth.  Haven't read much regarding teeth pain.  Scared and exhausted.

Tooth pain is a not uncommon experience which COULD be Cluster. BUT!! there many disorders which present as Cluster but which are not Cluster.

Not wise to try and diagnose yourself--or let folks here tell you what you have!

If the dentist doesn't give you relief, then advise seeking a headaache specialist for a work-up. AVOID hospital ERs and neurologists (unless they can assure you of having training in headached.)
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LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

2.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

3. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE; On-line screen to find a physician.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
=====================================================================
WHY A HEADACHE SPECIALIST IS RECOMMENDED


Headache. 2012 Jan;52(1):99-113.
Cluster headache in the United States of America: demographics, clinical characteristics, triggers, suicidality, and personal burden.
Rozen TD, Fishman RS.

THERE REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC DELAY FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE PATIENTS ON AVERAGE 5+ YEARS WITH ONLY 21% RECEIVING A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS AT TIME OF INITIAL PRESENTATION.

Thank you.  30-45 days for new patient GP appt.  No response from neurologist referral.  Urgent care gave me 6 nasal Imitrex which lasted 4 days.  Killing me.

Eautiger,

You're very welcome here. Where in the world do you live?

Peter.

Pensacola, FL.  Wife works at a hospital.  Choices are limited.  When I called neurology, they said the referral was on the doctors desk.  That was Wednesday .

Some days, no headache.  No rhyme or reason.  4 days in 30 days I had none.  None today.  Fingers crossed.

Thanks for the response.

It is vital that you get a proper diagnosis from a Neurologist specialising in Primary Headaches. There are a number of conditions that can mimic Cluster Headaches and it's important that they are considered before an accurate diagnosis can be made.

If I were in your situation I would be ringing the Neurologist's office every day looking for an early appointment and making a pest of myself. He who shouts loudest and all that!!!!!

In the meantime, try wolfing down an energy drink (Red Bull or something similar) at the first sign of an attack. This might sound strange but a lot of Cluster Head's find this can avert the attack.

The sudden rush of Caffeine and Taurine into the bloodstream seems to work.

If this does help, please don't take it as a confirmation of a diagnosis. You still need to go the formal route for a diagnosis.

It's worth a try and won't do you any harm either way.

Best of luck.

Peter.

Hi Eautiger and welcome,
Their are lots of headache types that mimic CH'S, but aren't cluster headache disease, so a proper diagnosis from a headache specialist is important. In the meantime, take the cluster quiz! To see where you fit. The link is to your left fourth down from the top.

Cheers Hoppy

As the others have said, a proper diagnosis is vital because there are many conditions that feel just like clusters, but they all respond to different meds. Untill you know what's wrong your treatment will be guesswork.  I can tell you though that IF it's clusters, tooth pain is quite common.  it was the first symptom I ever noticed and I still have raging toothache with my attacks of CH.

Hi and welcome

When ringing up about the neuro appointment do say that you'll be able to attend an appointment at short notice, so if they have any cancellations you can get there quickly.

I'd also start a headache diary where you list details including time and date it started, duration, symptoms, pain level (1-10 scale) and any potential triggers (e.g. started just after a beer or when being exposed to solvent fumes). This can help with the diagnosis.

What we can't do is to diagnose you. This is where you need a medical doctor with the right skills and experience in headache diagnosis as much of the diagnostic process is in ruling out other potential causes of the symptoms, not just in confirming that the symptoms match a headache type (or types as some can have multiple types).

Hope you get your diagnosis soon. Keep us updated with how you progress. It's something we've all gone through so we know what it is like.

LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

2.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

3. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE; On-line screen to find a physician.

4. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

5. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
=====================================================================
WHY A HEADACHE SPECIALIST IS RECOMMENDED


Headache. 2012 Jan;52(1):99-113.
Cluster headache in the United States of America: demographics, clinical characteristics, triggers, suicidality, and personal burden.
Rozen TD, Fishman RS.

THERE REMAINS A SIGNIFICANT DIAGNOSTIC DELAY FOR CLUSTER HEADACHE PATIENTS ON AVERAGE 5+ YEARS WITH ONLY 21% RECEIVING A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS AT TIME OF INITIAL PRESENTATION.