|  | Conditions Treatments | Headaches

Diseases That Cause Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are episodes of immensely painful headaches that tend to come in predictable waves with periods of remission in between. The terrible headaches, nicknamed "suicide headaches," are widely considered to be the worst pain a human can possibly feel and have been linked to a range of diseases. While no conclusive evidence has shown that a particular disease actually causes cluster headaches, numerous studies have shown that cluster headaches occur more frequently in people that have certain diseases, prior conditions and imbalances.

  1. Heart Disease

    • A recent study determined that cluster headaches occur more frequently in patients with heart diseases that affect heart rate patterns. When air and blood aren't properly circulated and regulated in the heart, this poor-quality blood reaches the brain, triggering a reaction in the brain that causes an inflammation. This inflammation can cause a severe headache.

    Melatonin Imbalance

    • Low levels of melatonin have been linked to cluster headaches, and melatonin supplements have been shown to reduce cluster headaches in some patients. Melatonin regulates the circadian rhythms of the brain, which is essentially the biological clock within each person. When this biological clock gets out of sync, the brain releases the wrong amounts of chemicals, which can lead to an inflammation and cause headaches. This theory hasn't been conclusively proven, but many scientists believe that the link to melatonin and cluster headaches is strong because of the cyclical, almost clock-like precision with which the headaches occur.

    Cortisol Imbalance

    • Cortisol imbalances have been closely linked to cluster headaches. While it hasn't been proven that dips in cortisol levels cause cluster headaches, studies have shown that people who suffer from cluster headaches usually have lower levels of cortisol than people who don't suffer from cluster headaches. Cortisol regulates the stress hormones in the brain. When cortisol levels dip, these stress hormones aren't regulated properly. If too much of a particular stress chemical is released, the brain becomes inflamed and a severe headache can occur.

    Serotonin Imbalance

    • When serotonin levels are out of balance, the signals in the brain don't transmit correctly and may trigger cluster headaches. Serotonin, in conjunction with melatonin, regulates the circadian rhythms of the brain. When a person has a serotonin imbalance, the brain releases the wrong amounts of chemicals, which can lead to an inflammation and cause headaches.

    Vascular Disorders

    • Vascular disorders, which are an abnormality of the blood vessels in the brain, have been linked to cluster headaches. Vascular disorders include Buerger's disease, thrombosis, gangrene, and vasculitis. Problems with the blood vessels in the brain can causes cluster headaches in many different ways. Too much or too little oxygen circulating in the blood vessels can cause inflammation, as can swelling of the blood vessels.

    Head Trauma

    • Blunt trauma to the head, concussions or whiplash are often associated with later occurrences of cluster headaches. Injury to arteries in the neck are also culprits for the cause of cluster headaches. Any injury to the head can cause the brain to react by sending unusual amounts of various chemicals to that spot, resulting in headaches for years or the rest of a person's life.

Headaches - Related Articles