Posted by Don Fowler (24.92.1.168) on July 10, 2001 at 06:57:00:
I've suffered from CH for over five years. Over the last year I had almost become chronic without a week going by with at least one or more CH. Imitrex injections had become a way of life.
I read some stuff about cold causing the blood vessals to contract. So, I started experimenting.
I now keep a couple of nasal saline water inhalors in the refrigerater. These are the standard off the shelf moisterizers sold at every drug store.
When I feel that knotted full feeling starting around my eye, I irrigate my right nostril with cold saline solution. I do three to four irrigations consecutively.
I get immediate relief of those initial early sympotoms. Since I have started doing this I have not had a full blown headache develop.
It certainly seems to me that using saline water is a whole lot better than injecting myself with Imitrex.
I don't know if this remedy will work for everyone. It appears that it works well for me.
Remember the key is to leave the nasal inhalors in the refrigerator door so that the saline solution is cold.
My personal experience was that I had to use the inhalers about six to eight times a day during the first two to three days. After that, I just use them as the early symptoms appear.
I would say that for the first two to three days, one should use the inhalor every hour on the hour even if thre is no symptoms developing. After about three days, use them only as you feel symptoms coming on.