Cluster Headache Treatments and Pain Management
For a small segment of the population, cluster headaches can be a debilitating condition that strikes without warning. Cluster headaches can strike seemingly random intervals, for which the name “cluster” is given. Patients are known to live for years without a problem, and suddenly suffer them for a period of weeks on end. The exact cause of cluster headaches is not known, although it is thought that stress, alcohol, and drugs can all play a role in promoting an attack. Even without these factors, however, a series of cluster headaches can befall a patient at any time in their life. A cluster headache can be easily identified by the pain level.
A sufferer of a cluster headache will often have a runny nose or eyes. The pain tends to focus behind one eye, and can be explained as like having an icepick driven into the eye. This extremely uncomfortable sensation can become very intense, often times triggering a pain crisis in the patient. The pain is often intense enough to trigger great emotional stress. Immediate treatment is very important. Sedatives and pain killers should be the first line of defense against cluster headaches.
Cluster headache treatment is not an exact science. Instead of a lifelong regimen of medication, cluster headache treatment is usually a matter of lifestyle alteration. Avoiding drugs and alcohol should be a mandatory first step. Although prevention is difficult, cluster headache treatment measures such as powerful pain killers can be necessary to have on hand.
Frequent cluster headaches are a definite sign that a visit to the doctor is in order. Although cluster headaches may happen totally at random, they may sometimes be a sign of a deeper neurological issue. If this is the case, it is important that treatment be sought as soon as possible. Some forms of stress management may also be considered effective cluster headache treatment. Although the role of stress in cluster headache treatment is not certain, it is known to play a role in other headaches, and could potentially have an effect on the cluster variety of headaches. Significant emotional stress should be managed carefully to prevent a possible cluster headache occurence.
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