Signs and Symptoms of Cluster Headaches

It is bad enough to have to experience one headache, worse to get a migraine headache. But it's even worse when you experience headaches back-to-back over an extended period of time. Such a repeat occurrence of headaches is known as cluster headaches. Cluster headaches, considered one of the most painful headache types, can occur repeatedly for weeks or months before ceasing altogether for a period of time.

Signs of Cluster Headaches

• One of the visual signs to onlookers that an individual may be experiencing a cluster headache is evidenced in the eye area. There could be redness and/or swelling in the eye, but it is usually experienced on the side of the head being affected by the headache. In addition, the pupil may get smaller in size and the eyelid may even droop.

Symptoms of Cluster Headaches

• Unlike those individuals suffering from a migraine--who seek out a cool, dark and quiet place to ride out the pain--those suffering from cluster headaches are too restless to lie down or sit still. In fact, it actually causes the pain to become worse if they do lie down, so they pace or rock while sitting to deal with the unceasing pain.

  This symptom of pain, described as a hot, jabbing pain in the affected eye area, can also be accompanied by the aforementioned signs, as well as a runny or stuffy nose, at least on the affected side of the face or eye area, and an excessive amount of eye tearing.

Other Symptoms

• While cluster headache pain is usually felt in the eye area, it can gravitate to other facial or head parts or descend to the neck or the shoulders. It is generally one-sided, but both sides could be affected, unfortunately. And since the pain associated with cluster headaches is so debilitating, another symptom of this headache type is exhaustion, which is not felt totally until the attack is over.

  And like the migraine headache, cluster headaches can have similar symptoms. These can include nausea and sensitivity to sound or light.

Significant

• One cluster headache attack generally ranges from 15 minutes to three hours. In addition, once these cluster headaches begin, they usually occur every day---and sometimes more than once a day---until they cease, normally after one to 12 weeks. Oddly enough, each daily attack seems to occur around the same time each day. And it has been determined that attacks occur more frequently between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. Fortunately, these types of headaches typically go into a period of remission, sometimes up to a year, before recurring.

Warning

• Since any frequent headache occurrence can be an indicator of a more serious condition, it is important to medically rule out other problems before assuming that a cluster headache is being experienced for the first time. Brain tumors and aneurysms can also cause severe headaches, so it is better to seek medical help the first time a severe and repeated headache occurs.