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Characteristics of Cluster Headache As One Gets Older

The first cluster headache you get is a bit confusing. The pain is hard to describe--shooting, jabbing pain on one side of the face. It may start in the upper jaw or cheekbone and radiate to the eye and ear. Since the pain is confined to only one side of the face, many people think they have an abscessed tooth and make a dental appointment. When the X-rays come back negative for any type of dental problem, the mystery begins to deepen.

  1. Characteristics of Cluster Headaches

    • Men are five times more likely to suffer cluster headaches than women. Furthermore, according to a study published in the New York Times in September, 2008, the rate of suicide in men who suffer from cluster headaches is higher than those that don't have these headaches, giving the disorder the nickname: "suicide headaches." Cluster headaches are known as the most painful type of facial and head pain. They are episodic and chronic. They come on without warning and completely debilitate the sufferer.

      As the name implies, cluster headaches come in groups. Episodes contain a cluster of headaches, and the length of an episode varies from several days to several weeks, sometimes even months. The number of headaches per day, the cluster, varies as well. As suddenly as the episode begins, it will end, and there will be a period without headaches that can last for a year or more. Then the cycle resumes.

      There are two types of cluster headaches. The most common type is called episodic. People with episodic cluster headaches suffer two or three headaches per day for up to two months. Then there will be no more headaches for about a year. Chronic cluster headaches are similar except there is no episode-free period.

    Causes

    • Cluster headaches are as big a mystery to the medical community as they are to those who suffer from them. Some neurologists subscribe to the theory that cluster headaches begin in the trigeminal nerve, the main sensory nerve in the face. Others believe the headaches originate from the blood vessels in the head.

      Current research into the causes of cluster headaches is focusing on the theory that cluster headache sufferers experience a sudden release of seratonin or histamines prior to an attack. There are also theories that the circadian rhythm, or internal biological clock, of sufferers may be abnormal.

      Triggers of an attack can include alcohol, certain foods, stress and bright lights. Some people claim that the change of seasons will bring on an episode.

    Symptoms

    • The most significant symptom of the cluster headache is that it begins suddenly and with pain in the upper jaw, the side of the nose or the eye, on one side of the face. The pain has been described as explosive and deep, ". . .as if someone is trying to tear my face off." For most people, the headache strikes in the middle of the night. The pain continues to build, peaking in five or 10 minutes but lasting from 30 minutes to two hours. The eyes usually tear, and the nose runs. Often, excessive perspiration will occur, along with chills.

      People who suffer from cluster headaches often react similarly during a headache; rocking back and forth, holding the side of the head and moaning are all common reactions. A change of position does nothing for the pain, so most sufferers remain seated upright during an attack.

    Treatment

    • There is no treatment for cluster headaches, so physicians treat the symptoms. For many, breathing 100 percent oxygen from a tank will abort a headache. Ergotamine is a drug that has proven to abort or shorten a cluster headache. The doctor might also prescribe steroid medicines such as prednisone. Pain relievers are usually not prescribed as they take too long to work to be effective at relieving the pain of a cluster headache.

    Prevention

    • Doctors remind patients to avoid the events that trigger their headaches. Scientists are studying various medications to be used to prevent cluster headaches. Lithium, usually prescribed for bipolar disorder, has been successful in a number of trials.

    Prognosis

    • The outlook for cluster headache patients is good. Researchers have found that as sufferers age, the attacks cease. Unfortunately no one is able to predict exactly when that will be.

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