Click this link to read a post I like on the clusterheadaches.com message board...

Jul 8^th, 2025 at 3:49pm

	Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
	Search box updated Dec 3, 2011... Search ch.com with Google!

New CH.com Forum › Daily Chat › General Posts › Do I have Cluster headaches?

(Moderators: DJ, Mrs Deej)

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

Pages: 1

Do I have Cluster headaches? (Read 771 times)

danielleisacat

CH.com Newbie

Offline

I Love CH.com!

Posts: 1

Do I have Cluster headaches?
Dec 9^th, 2010 at 4:06am

I always thought I got migraines until I started to do research. I think I get clusters, but am not 100% sure. Here are my symptoms, etc.

-Intense headaches in my right temple area.
-Happens very often. This week I've gotten them every night since Monday (it's Wednesday). Tonight I have mild pain in my temple and nasal congestion on the same side. Earlier today I had severe pain in my right temple and a runny nose.
-I normally get my headaches around 3 AM. They normally last for a few hours and I do not sleep (if I do it's restless).
-Hot showers help, but only when I'm in them. The moment I step out I have pain again.
-I've had bad headaches for as long as I remember. I take meds. (Migraine med, sinus headache meds, tylenol, aleve) and it normally fails to help.
-I think my head hurts more when I try to lay still.
-I'm 21, female.
-When I was 6 I had shingles on the left side of my face and was told that I had nerve damage.

What do you guys think? CH or something else?

IP Logged

Click Here to visit the CH.com Facebook page!

JustNotRight

CH.com Sponsor

Offline

CH version 15.0.8 member
since 2005 aka GingerS224

Posts: 1300
Wilkes-Barre, Pa (USA)
Gender: female

Re: Do I have Cluster headaches?
Reply #1 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 6:27am

From your description it could be CH, but then I'm not a Doctor, just a CH Sufferer. Nothing beats an accurate diagnosis from a Neurologist or better yet a Headache Specialist. Make an Appointment to see one!!

Whilst you're waiting to get into the Neuro or a Headache Specialist here are a few over the counter helpers:

4-Way Nasal spray or Dristan 12 Hour Nasal Spray helps with the annoying congestion. ** Note ** Do not use this more than 3 days in a row!! It can cause severe sinus problems.

Taurine and Caffeine drinks (RedBull if you like it) to help prevent a hit when you feel one starting.

Melatonin or an Allergy (Zyrtec aka cetirizine works for me) pill at night before bed to help avoid night time hits.

The herb Kudzu has helped a few as a prevent.

Deep breathing through the milder hits can help too.

Hot/Cold Compresses Depending on your preference can help as well.

Make sure you start a headache journal, you can make your own, here's what you will need to note on it.

Day/Date:
Time of Day of CH hit:
On pain Scale 1-10 10 being highest what is your pain at?
Duration of Headache:
Symptoms that come with your Headache:
What, if anything you tried to get rid of HA:

You can make up your own HA Journal and if you get more than one in a day use 1 piece of paper/page per day, or you can use MS Excel for this.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to

An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.
M.K. Gandhi

If you are going through hell...Just keep going

IP Logged

wimsey1

CH.com Alumnus

Offline

I Love CH.com!

Posts: 2457
MA
Gender: male

Re: Do I have Cluster headaches?
Reply #2 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 8:27am

Ginger has given you the best rundown of what to do until a diagnosis is forthcoming...nothing there can hurt and it may help a great deal. Try it as you would a Rx. And do see a doctor. And in the meantime, take the cluster quiz on the left. May you not have these cursed things...and be pain free quickly. Blessings. lance

IP Logged

Guiseppi

CH.com Moderator
CH.com Alumnus

Offline

San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011

Posts: 12063
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA
Gender: male

Re: Do I have Cluster headaches?
Reply #3 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 8:56am

Great advice above. Your best bet at an accurate diagnosis, and an effective treatment regimen, is a Headache Specialist Neurologist. General Practitioners and even your garden variety neurologists know pathetically little about CH, and even other headache types in general.

Being a woman they will typically knee jerk react and tell you it's migrains. Older doc's will tell you women don't get CH! This is one time where a specialist is just critical to getting this figured out.

Good luck on the diagnostic journey! If it turns out to be CH....(my 2 cents sez it sure sounds like it might be)...DO NOT lose this website! Wink

Joe

Joe

"Somebody had to say it" is usually a piss poor excuse to be mean.

IP Logged

BigMatt

CH.com Hall of Famer

Offline

Live to ride, ride to
live.

Posts: 1089
Mountain View, CA
Gender: male

Re: Do I have Cluster headaches?
Reply #4 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 11:22am

You may want to print out as much as you can from this site to take with you as well.
From what I have read and my own experience most doctors are not very well schooled in headaches at all and if you have CH you may need to school your doctor yourself unless you get lucky. Be sure to take the O2 information as well since most here say it is the best aborter you can have as long as you get the right flow rate and mask. Good luck to you and hope you get the help you need soon.

There is no stronger a person then one who can deal with brain pain and still function.

http://www.facebook.com/#/home.php?ref=home

IP Logged

Ghost CH.com Alumnus Offline Farting relieves the pressure Posts: 4106 Farmersville, TX Gender:	Re: Do I have Cluster headaches? Reply #5 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 11:27am I wish I could add more than good luck and pray
Back to top	Illigitimus Non Tatum Carborundum&&If all men are endowed by their creator, why was mine so short sighted?&&&&*WARNING* Oxygen will rust your pipes! IP Logged

Callico

CH.com Hall of Famer

Offline

Author of "Stranded at
Romson's Lodge

Posts: 4916
Aurora IL
Gender: male

Re: Do I have Cluster headaches?
Reply #6 - Dec 9^th, 2010 at 1:50pm

You definitely need a good DX by a knowledgeable Dr. As was said, most GP's and unfortunately many Neuros have no clue about CH. If you are able to find one that is willing to learn and work with you well and good, but that is a rarity. You need to take the cluster quiz on the left, but that is NOT a diagnosis, merely a tool to evaluate between Migraine and Cluster. You will need an MRI and an MRA to be certain there is not something more nefarious that presents itself similarly to Cluster.

Unfortunately, it sounds like CH. If it is you have found a new family that will help carry you through the rough patches.

Jerry

"Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a piece of dung by the clean end." Texas A&M Student (unknown)

IP Logged

Pages: 1

‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›

« Home

‹ Board

Top of this page

©1998-2013 Web Vision Enterprises LLC All rights reserved. All information on this site is protected by international
copyright laws. You may not re-distribute any information from this site without written permission from
Web Vision Enterprises LLC and the webmaster of this site. Violators will be prosecuted.
You may view our privacy policy and financial disclosure statement here

DISCLAIMER: All information contained on this web site is for informational purposes only. It is in no way intended to be used as a replacement for professional medical treatment. clusterheadaches.com makes no claims as to the scientific/clinical validity of the information on this site OR to that of the information linked to from this site. All information taken from the internet should be discussed with a medical professional!