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slacker032 CH.com Old Timer Offline Posts: 325 Los Angeles, CA Gender:	How do you describe the pain to others? Sep 12^th, 2011 at 1:59am How do you guys describe the pain of a cluster headache when someone asks? It seems like I can never find a description that's even close to accurate.
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George CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline Black-Billed Magpie Posts: 8126 Boise, Idaho USA Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #1 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 2:07am I don't. Usually. They have no common ground. Best, George
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buhrly1 CH.com Newbie Offline I Love Rockstars and CH.com! Posts: 22 Hawaii Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #2 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 5:44am Saw my wife pass a kidney stone a couple months back and thought that if someone passed 8-10 of those a day they might have an understanding. buhrly
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Brew CH.com Sponsor CH.com Alumnus Offline Posts: 14163	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #3 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 7:40am Print and hand them this: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!! You need to or
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wimsey1

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Re: How do you describe the pain to others?
Reply #4 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 7:58am

Like the others, I usually don't try. But once in awhile, probably out of perversity, I will say something like: have you ever had a dentist hit a nerve on your tooth when you weren't numb? Imagine that pain in your eye, every time your heart beats, for 45 minutes at a time, 3 or 4 times a day. But they promptly forget and ask how my migraines are doing. S'Okay. blessings. lance

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Guiseppi CH.com Moderator CH.com Alumnus Offline San Diego to Florida 05-16-2011 Posts: 12063 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA USA Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #5 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 9:00am Someone suggested comparing it to the intensity of your worst slurpy brain freeze...that then goes on for 2 hours! But yeah, they really have nothing to compare it to, so I pretty much don't try. Joe
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slacker032 CH.com Old Timer Offline Posts: 325 Los Angeles, CA Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #6 - Sep 12^th, 2011 at 12:35pm wimsey1 wrote on Sep 12^th, 2011 at 7:58am: But they promptly forget and ask how my migraines are doing. I get that all the time. Drives me nuts.
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Cupper CH.com Junior Offline I Love CH.com! Posts: 49 Seagrove Beach FL Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #7 - Sep 13^th, 2011 at 2:16am Like someone hit me inside my head with a 2x4.
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LasVegas

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Re: How do you describe the pain to others?
Reply #8 - Sep 13^th, 2011 at 3:08am

For those who I share my medical secret with I describe as follows....

"Imagine the worst Migraine Headache you've ever had and magnify the intensity by 1 million" Cry

"Women have described it worse pain than natural child birth" Cry

"Feels like a burning hot steel rod poker continually stabbing into the center of my eye with a vice grip clenching my skull" Cry

"Torture by the Devil himself" Cry

"Unilateral intense constant pain affecting the eye, forehead temple, nostril, jaw and neck" Cry

NOTE: I only share my description of CH's with loved ones, friends, my employer, doctors and others afflicted by headaches.

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Wishing everybody at CH.com less pain w/ more productivity in their lives in 2019

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Callico CH.com Hall of Famer Offline Author of "Stranded at Romson's Lodge Posts: 4916 Aurora IL Gender:	Re: How do you describe the pain to others? Reply #9 - Sep 14^th, 2011 at 12:54am What Joe said. In fact, a brain freeze can trigger a hit for me. Jerry
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B.Baer

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Re: How do you describe the pain to others?
Reply #10 - Sep 14^th, 2011 at 6:43pm

Those who have not experienced it, have no basis for comparison, so I don't even try. I tell them , if they ask, to goggle it or refer them to this site.

Friends and business associates have been aware of the many cycles over the years and a good number of them have actually researched it a bit, (morbid curiosity no doubt.... Wink

)

As a result, they are very compassionate.

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ClosetCHer

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Re: How do you describe the pain to others?
Reply #11 - Sep 15^th, 2011 at 12:01pm

Brain freeze is the only pain that I've had that is similar to CH pain. If I'm not mistaken, I believe a brain freeze actually causes pain in the trigeminal nerve. the same nerve that causes CH pain. I had one of the worst brain freezes the other day while eating a Frosty from Wendy's and the pain felt nearly like a CH, but about 10 times less. Usually when I tell people its like a brain freeze but 10 times worse, they understand.

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« Last Edit: Sep 15^th, 2011 at 12:02pm by ClosetCHer »

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