Cluster Migraine Headaches
are quite rare and when they do occur, it is usually
in men. The severe pain of a cluster headache migraine
starts very suddenly, usually occurring behind or around
one eye. The eye and nose on the same side of the pain
of the cluster migraine may become red, swollen and
runny and the sufferer becomes restless. These cluster
migraine headaches can be frightening to both the sufferer
and to his family. They usually last for anything between
three quarters of an hour to an hour and a half and
a pattern forms where they appear at the same time each
day for several weeks – hence the term “cluster
migraines”. The cluster periods of migraine headaches
usually last from 1 to 2 months. They can appear again
after several months have elapsed.
Some of the causes of these cluster migraine headaches
are thought to be:
o Taking some medications such as nitroglycerin
o Smoking heavily
o Interrupting your normal sleep pattern for whatever
reason
o Problems with the hypothalamus, which controls your
body’s clock
The attacks of cluster migraine headaches can be
further aggravated, particularly during the cluster
period, by:
o Taking an afternoon nap – so don’t
deviate from your normal sleep pattern and routine.
o Drinking alcohol – this can bring on headaches
very quickly before you have even finished one drink.
Alcohol should be completely avoided until the cluster
period is over.
o Stress – headaches may start when you are
relaxing after a stressful time.
Cluster migraine headaches treatment
When you seek medical advice and your doctor has
diagnosed cluster migraine headaches, he will normally
treat
migraines with 2 different medications –
one to take regularly during the cluster period to
reduce the number of headaches while a second is taken
to relieve the pain when an attack occurs. This second
migraine
medicine is often prescribed and taken as an inhaler,
an injection or a rectal suppository so that the migraine
pain relief is very quick. Medicines taken by
mouth are too slow to give relief from the pain of
cluster migraine headaches. Breathing pure oxygen
through a mask for 10-15 minutes or using a local
anesthetic in the nose are two further ways of treating
the condition.
Fortunately cluster migraine headaches are a rare
type of headache affecting 0.1% of the population
with an estimated 85% of sufferers being male. The
average age of cluster headaches sufferers is 28-30
years but such rare headaches can begin in childhood.
These headaches are considered to be vascular headaches
because they are associated with changes in the size
of the arteries in and outside of the brain. When
biochemical changes occur in the brain, one of the
larger nerve branches (the trigeminal nerve) in your
head triggers a chain reaction: the changes in serotonin
in the blood vessels and the brain lead to shifts
of blood flow, bypassing the capillaries and going
through shunts to the veins. The distention of these
vessels contributes to the pain of migraine. The nerves
around the blood vessels release chemicals which cause
a sterile inflammation eliciting pain signals into
the brain.
Cluster migraine headaches do not appear to be related
to any other illnesses nor to diseases of the brain.
Also, they do not seem to run in families like other
migraines
do.
Although they are very painful, cluster migraine
headaches can be controlled very well with the right
treatment so it is important to work with your doctor
to find the right combination of medication and treatment.
Go
to our Migraine and Headache Treatment page
