Cluster headaches are excruciatingly painful headaches that are 90 percent more likely to affect men than women. There are many risk factors that make a person more prone to cluster headaches--including being male, being of African descent, over the age of 20, and having a family history of cluster headaches. Despite the risk factors, there are many lifestyle changes that can reduce the severity of cluster headaches and the remedies once they occur.
Definition
Cluster headaches are intense headaches that occur in groups during a span of time. They can recur several times a day, for weeks or even months at a time. This type of headache is extremely painful and unpredictable. While the symptoms may be treated, getting cluster headaches is a condition that is incurable.
Symptoms
The most identifiable symptom of cluster headaches is intense pain, which is much worse than a typical headache. This pain usually occurs around only one eye, but it can affect any of the upper body area, from the shoulders to the neck or any part of the head. Cluster headaches typically affect one side of the face. The nostril on the side affected by the headache may be stuffy, and the eye may be red and tearing with a droopy eyelid. There may be swelling around the eye area as well.
Prevention
It is possible to not only lessen the number of attacks during a cluster, but also to mitigate the effects of each attack through some minor lifestyle changes. Sufferers should avoid drinking any alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or being exposed to cigarette smoke. Limiting exposure to harsh chemical fumes and nitrates in food can also help prevent attacks. In order to minimize attacks, sufferers should also stay at low altitudes, and they should attempt to maintain their normal sleep schedules.
Prescription Remedies
Injections of Triptans or Dihydroergotamine are typical pain relief medical treatments for cluster headaches. Calcium channel blockers are also used in the treatment of cluster headaches. They block the release of a chemical in the brain that sends the signal for pain. Lithium, also used to treat bi-polar disorder, can also be taken as a preventative measure. All of these medications must be taken regularly in order to be effective.
Alternative Remedies
Inhaling oxygen has been found to mitigate symptoms of cluster headaches within 15 minutes. In addition, things found to be effective in some cases include bike riding, strenuous exercise, acupressure, acupuncture, and using a cold saline solution to irrigate the nostril on the affected side of the face.
Herbal Remedies
Chewing a few leaves of Feverfew on a daily basis can prevent attacks of cluster headaches. Drinking a solution composed of one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a glass of water can reduce the severity of an attack. A more palatable solution is ginger tea that is sweetened with honey. Ginger and honey are both remedies for a cluster headache.
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