Cluster headaches

Migraine Ireland

Cluster headache is a rare but very severe type of headache that affects less than 1% of the population. It is six times more prevalent in men than women and usually begins in the late twenties or early thirties. Contrary to migraine sufferers, those who suffer from cluster cannot lie down quietly in a darkened room, they are often more agitated and active, rocking or pacing up and down.

Attacks typically begin in the middle of the night and consist of a severe stabbing pain that can last between 15 and 180 minutes affecting one side of the head. The side of the head on which the pain is felt can vary between attacks, but it almost never occurs on both sides at the same time. The pain is often described as a ‘hot poker’ penetrating one eye. Cluster headaches can occur several times a day. Attacks come in clusters that can last weeks or months. After each cluster, the attacks can disappear for months or even years.

Cluster Headache Symptoms
A number of symptoms may also occur during an attack:

• Eyes get red and watery
• The nose can be blocked or runny
• Sweating from the forehead and face
• Constriction of the pupil
• Drooping or swelling of the eyelid

Cluster Headache can take two forms, episodic and chronic. In episodic, attacks occur on a daily basis over a period of weeks or months and then stop as suddenly as they start and go away for a period of weeks, months or even years, but they will return.

In chronic, the attacks occur regularly with a pain-free remission of less than four weeks in any twelve month period.

The exact cause of cluster headache is unknown, although trigger factors include alcohol, tobacco, irregular sleeping patterns, stress and decreased blood oxygen levels. There is increasing evidence to show that most sufferers of Cluster Headache are also smokers, but this has yet to be confirmed.

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