This is all new to me; I used to suffer migrains as a child but never knew what a cluster headach was until last autumn when I got my first bout of them. And now with the arrival of spring it seems the headachs have returned; and once again I did not expect them just as last time. I've done a fair share of research but nothing beats getting thoughts from folks who experience this...
Questions:
I have never had this issue before and now am I to presume I will get these every spring and autumn?

They seem to come and go very quickly sometimes lasting an hour or more or sometimes only 20min and then I'm fine for about the same duration before it comes back... is this cycling normal?

Last autumn the headachs occured every night between 2 - 3 am for a week; is this a typical length of time with or without treatment?

I currently take Maxalt when I first recognize the onset of the headach which seems to bring a great deal of relief albiet temporary as well as cold compress (that is until the following night) but it never seems to completely go away until the cycle is over.
Is there anything else I can do to maintain relief or lessen the intervals between headachs?

Anyway; thank you in advance, any insight would be greatly appreciated, I will continue to look about the forum for additional information.
Thank you,

Oh thank you!!! Thank you... Thank you!!!
I have been reading through the forum and have read some great information thus far. I have been diagnosed by my pcp who has alot of first hand experience with this as his long time assistant also suffers from CH.
I honestly thought it was a one shot deal last autumn and never put much thought into it therafter. But now that spring is here it's happening all over again and I am less than amused.
From everything that I have read it explains exactly what I am experiencing to the "T" ...again less than amused... I had no idea a forum existed about it;


Going to read that link now! Thank you again, I really appreciate your response.

Hi ClusterF - yea welcome to this rotten club of really nice people.

My husband started having CH in his early 20's although we didn't know what it was then. But yes - Fall and SPring - kind of with the time zone changes. It would last him a couple months, of getting hit daily or more. We used to combat with narcotics back then. Come a LONG way since then with O2, preventatives (lithium) and other tricks like Red Bull, etc.  But o2 serves the best. imitrex injections if he's out without O2.

Read up - and keep asking questions. Also take a look at the info Batch has been posting on the supplement regimen to balance PH. Joe's been following that too with the last cycle with some success.

Please tell us where you live. Follow the next line to a message which explains why knowing your location will help us to help you.

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When CH is first developing it is very common for symptoms to vary in degree, location, etc. for weeks to months--even years--before settling down to a stable pattern. This makes it difficult to diagnose the situation and often requires changes in treatment, dosing, etc. Patience is a survival skill!!

Most helpful to be working with a headache specialist. These issues requires training and experience so often lacking with most docs.

Your residual light pain is common and may be help with an OTC pain med BUT you should be on a preventive med for the long haul and it will often help.

See PDF file, blow.
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Cluster headache.
From: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or (Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)
[Easy to read; one of the better overview articles I've seen. Suggest printing the full length article--link, line above--if you are serious about keeping a good medical library on the subject.]

Leroux E, Ducros A.

ABSTRACT: Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disease characterized by recurrent short-lasting attacks (15 to 180 minutes) of excruciating unilateral periorbital pain accompanied by ipsilateral autonomic signs (lacrimation, nasal congestion, ptosis, miosis, lid edema, redness of the eye). It affects young adults, predominantly males. Prevalence is estimated at 0.5-1.0/1,000. CH has a circannual and circadian periodicity, attacks being clustered (hence the name) in bouts that can occur during specific months of the year. ALCOHOL IS THE ONLY DIETARY TRIGGER OF CH, STRONG ODORS (MAINLY SOLVENTS AND CIGARETTE SMOKE) AND NAPPING MAY ALSO TRIGGER CH ATTACKS. During bouts, attacks may happen at precise hours, especially during the night. During the attacks, patients tend to be restless. CH may be episodic or chronic, depending on the presence of remission periods. CH IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIGEMINOVASCULAR ACTIVATION AND NEUROENDOCRINE AND VEGETATIVE DISTURBANCES, HOWEVER, THE PRECISE CAUSATIVE MECHANISMS REMAIN UNKNOWN. Involvement of the hypothalamus (a structure regulating endocrine function and sleep-wake rhythms) has been confirmed, explaining, at least in part, the cyclic aspects of CH. The disease is familial in about 10% of cases. Genetic factors play a role in CH susceptibility, and a causative role has been suggested for the hypocretin receptor gene. Diagnosis is clinical. Differential diagnoses include other primary headache diseases such as migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania and SUNCT syndrome. At present, there is no curative treatment. There are efficient treatments to shorten the painful attacks (acute treatments) and to reduce the number of daily attacks (prophylactic treatments). Acute treatment is based on subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan and high-flow oxygen. Verapamil, lithium, methysergide, prednisone, greater occipital nerve blocks and topiramate may be used for prophylaxis. In refractory cases, deep-brain stimulation of the hypothalamus and greater occipital nerve stimulators have been tried in experimental settings.THE DISEASE COURSE OVER A LIFETIME IS UNPREDICTABLE. Some patients have only one period of attacks, while in others the disease evolves from episodic to chronic form.

PMID: 18651939 [PubMed]
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Explore the buttons, left, starting with the OUCH site. Basic understanding is mandatory at this stage.