Cluster Headache Treatment
For a small portion of sufferers, cluster headaches can cause severe pain with little warning. Cluster headaches attack at seemingly random intervals, for which the name “cluster” is given. Patients can go years without a single cluster headache, and suddenly suffer them for a period of weeks on end. The cause behind cluster headaches remains a mystery, 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 is easy to differentiate from a normal headache because of its severity and distinct symptoms.
A sufferer of a cluster headache will often have a runny nose or eyes. The pain tends to focus behind one eye, and is often described as feeling like an icepick. This extremely uncomfortable sensation sometimes becomes very painful, 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 typically limited to lifestyle choices. Avoiding drugs and alcohol is an important first step in avoiding a triggering of cluster headaches. Although prevention is difficult, cluster headache treatment measures such as powerful pain killers can be necessary to have on hand.
Frequent cluster headaches should be a signal to see the doctor. Although cluster headaches can occur without any discernible cause, 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 is known to cause a variety of physiological symptoms, and could play an important role in cluster headaches as well.
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