Search:

Home | Disease & Illness | Headache


Cluster Headaches – Mysterious and Severe

By: Editor

Cluster headaches make a rare form of headaches affecting primarily young males. According to the statistics, males under the age of thirty are the most severely affected. Only about one in one thousand people is suffering from cluster headaches. The number of females affected with cluster headaches has increased in recent years, but men still are affected about twice as often as are women.

The Definition of Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are defined as a series of reoccurring headaches that are severe in intensity and have episodes that often last days or even weeks. In between these attacks the sufferer is usually pain free. The attacks can start even when a person is sleeping, being even more painful than daytime attacks. An average duration of these headaches is fifteen minutes to three hours.

Triggers of Cluster Headaches

Changes in weather and seasons most frequently lead to cluster headaches. This is attributed to the fact that the nerves that are activated during an attack are those of the internal clock. Nicotine and alcohol can intensify the seasonal attacks of the cluster headaches; alcohol is especially harmful as even small amounts can trigger an attack during the spring and fall. However, during the breaks in cluster headaches most sufferers do not experience any ill reaction to moderate alcohol use or smoking.

Causes of Cluster Headaches

Actually, the biophysical causes of most headaches are still a mystery to scientists and doctors; however, by observing this particular type of headache, certain common areas have been detected. A cluster of nerves throughout the face are believed to generate these severely painful episodes. When initially activated, the first sensations a sufferer will feel are usually in the eye, including tearing or redness. Also, this nerve is connected to each person’s internal clock, which could explain why these attacks are more severe at night.

Some symptoms of these headaches are similar to other severe headaches, for example, one sided pain that remains on the same side. Usually, the pain is so severe that those affected may feel antsy and need to walk about a room to cope with it. The pain in cluster headaches is not localized to the head like other headaches, and often a person’s entire face can hurt, even teeth and gums. The very top of a person’s head may feel tender when touched. People who get affected by cluster headaches are often so sensitive during an attack that they can feel their pulse, and that also may cause them further discomfort.

Most cluster headache sufferers are spared of pain throughout the year, and are only affected by attacks for a week during major seasonal changes; some people may be affected more while others may be affected less. The majority of people living with cluster headaches have painful episodes a week long, once a year, with intervals of at least two weeks between episodes. But some people’s chronic condition allows them less than fourteen headache free days per year.

Article Source: http://www.topicinfo.com

For more information on Cluster headaches check out www.stopyourheadache.com. You'll find loads of tips and techniques plus you'll find answers to questions many others in your situation have asked before. But Hurry! For a limited time you can get your very own copy of our award winning Headache Software at absolutely no cost.

Please Rate this Article

 

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Headache Articles Via RSS!
Additional Articles From - Home | Disease & Illness | Headache
Sign Up for a free account or learn more.
Submit Articles
Member Login
Top Authors
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
About Us
Submit Link
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service

Powered by Article Dashboard