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Do Cluster Headaches Cause Emotional Outbursts?

Cluster headaches are extremely painful headaches that occur on only one side of your head. When you have a cluster headache, you may have a stuffy nose and watery eye on the same side of your head as the pain. These headaches occur in groups called clusters, in which the pains recur frequently during a span of time. While cluster headaches do not directly affect your mental state, the pain, frequency of episodes and unpredictability of attacks can result in irritability and emotional outbursts.

  1. Pain

    • The pain of a cluster headache can be so intense that cluster headaches are also known as "ice pick" headaches. Unlike a migraine, cluster headaches cause you to feel restless. Instead of wanting to curl up in bed, someone with a cluster headache may pace, or try to find something to distract them from the pain. When you are suffering from severe pain, you are more likely to have emotional reactions. Prescription medications, such as Triptans, are commonly used to reduce the pain of a cluster headache. In addition, electrical stimulation of the occipital nerve and the hypothalamus have been found to reduce the severity of cluster headaches. Home remedies include inhaling oxygen and nasal irrigation with cold saline solutions.

    Frequency of Episodes

    • Cluster headaches may recur up to several times per day, for weeks at a time. When the headaches occur frequently in a cluster period, you may feel frustrated, which can lead to outbursts. Stress can contribute to the severity and frequency of cluster episodes, so it is important for you to try to avoid frustration. Yoga, breathing exercises and meditation are all ways to reduce the stress that results from frequent cluster headaches.

    Unpredictability

    • A cluster episode can strike out of the blue. A cluster sufferer may have no idea what caused the episode to begin, which can cause considerable impact on their quality of life. The unhappiness that results from never knowing when you are going to be struck down by intense pain can result in a more irritable disposition. To resolve this issue, you can keep a headache journal. Many cluster headaches can be traced to specific events, such as eating certain foods, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or dealing with stressful situations. Once you discover what is causing your cluster headaches, you can work on avoiding those triggers. This will not only make attacks more predictable, it will also reduce the severity and frequency of your attacks.

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