Cluster Headaches and Thier Causes
Friday, November 21st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
For a small segment of the population, cluster headaches can be a debilitating condition that strikes without warning. Cluster headaches can strike seemingly random intervals, for which they gain their name. Patients are known to live for years without a problem, and suddenly suffer them for days or weeks at a time. The exact cause of cluster headaches is not known, although it is thought that stress, alcohol, and drugs are all prompters of the condition. Even without these factors, however, a series of cluster headaches can befall a patient at any time in their life. A cluster headache is easy to differentiate from a normal headache because of its severity and distinct symptoms.
A sufferer of a cluster headache will often have a runny nose or eyes. The pain tends to focus behind one eye, and is often described as feeling like an icepick. This extremely uncomfortable sensation can become very intense, often times resulting in a pain crisis. The pain is often intense enough to trigger great emotional stress. Immediate treatment is very important. Sedatives and pain killers can do a great deal to mitigate the devastating pain frequently associated with a cluster headache.
Cluster headache treatment is a difficult process because of the seemingly random nature of their attacks. Instead of always remaining on medication, cluster headache treatment is typically limited to lifestyle choices. Avoiding drugs and alcohol is an important first step in avoiding a triggering of cluster headaches. Although prevention is difficult, cluster headache treatment can reduce the pain of the first attack significantly.
Frequent cluster headaches are a definite sign that a visit to the doctor is in order. Although cluster headaches may happen totally at random, they may sometimes be a sign of a deeper neurological issue. If this is the case, patients should see a doctor as soon as possible. Some forms of stress management may also be considered effective cluster headache treatment. Although the role of stress in cluster headache treatment is not certain, it is known to play a role in other headaches, and could potentially have an effect on the cluster variety of headaches. Significant emotional stress should be managed carefully to prevent a possible cluster headache occurence.
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