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Suffering With Cluster Headache. Treatment Options?
Question: I think I am suffering from cluster headache. Is there anything that can be done for this?
had an episode last week during which I had an extreme headache. This lasted for two days and I was admitted to hospital. They gave 400mg ibuprofen, paracetamol, and 500mg antibiotucs'
had an episode last week during which I had an extreme headache. This lasted for two days and I was admitted to hospital. They gave 400mg ibuprofen, paracetamol, and 500mg antibiotucs'
Hi
Thanks for your query,
Cluster headaches are usually on one-side of the head. The location of pain is usually in and around the eyes accompanied by watery secretions from the eyes, runny nose, etc. There are periods of attacks and remissions during a year. The pain is bad enough to wake the patient up from sleep.
You have not described the full character of your headache but I should make you aware that there are various causes of headache. You have been treated symptomatically and you were alright. If you get second episode like this I want that that you should get yourself thoroughly evaluated.
First of all you should be sure that you do not have any kind of mental stress in which case the headache is long lasting and goes away when the stress is relieved.
Secondly you have to rule out if you have high blood pressure or any vision problem.
If your headache is associated with nausea or vomiting, or unilateral headache with throbbing pain you need to have thorough physical examination and some pertinent investigations to rule out the cause.
If the cause is found, it can be treated according.
Truly,
Dr. J. Ticku
Thanks for your query,
Cluster headaches are usually on one-side of the head. The location of pain is usually in and around the eyes accompanied by watery secretions from the eyes, runny nose, etc. There are periods of attacks and remissions during a year. The pain is bad enough to wake the patient up from sleep.
You have not described the full character of your headache but I should make you aware that there are various causes of headache. You have been treated symptomatically and you were alright. If you get second episode like this I want that that you should get yourself thoroughly evaluated.
First of all you should be sure that you do not have any kind of mental stress in which case the headache is long lasting and goes away when the stress is relieved.
Secondly you have to rule out if you have high blood pressure or any vision problem.
If your headache is associated with nausea or vomiting, or unilateral headache with throbbing pain you need to have thorough physical examination and some pertinent investigations to rule out the cause.
If the cause is found, it can be treated according.
Truly,
Dr. J. Ticku
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
Thanks for your advice. My prior episode was some 4 years ago but this one
was far worse. The pain thie time was so bad that it made me vomit violently.
The doctors at the hospital could not find anything wrong with me and put it
down as a migraine. They did a ct scan scan and a chest xray. On the prior occasion they also did a lumber puncture. All of these were clear.
was far worse. The pain thie time was so bad that it made me vomit violently.
The doctors at the hospital could not find anything wrong with me and put it
down as a migraine. They did a ct scan scan and a chest xray. On the prior occasion they also did a lumber puncture. All of these were clear.
Dear,
Thanks for updating. The details are now clearly indicate possibility of migraine headaches.
Migraine headaches are lifestyle oriented conditions and this type of headache is triggered by the causes I have already explained earlier. You have to be cautious enough to understand what is the preceeding trigger for this type of headache and once found you have to intelligently avoid it. If you succeed in it, the intensity of pain next time will be very short lived and will be relieved by less doses of drugs. Keeping a headache diary where you can note the preceeding events / triggers during each attack can help you understand your triggers.
I will still advise that you should put yourself in least mental stress if you have an indication for an episode and you should eat light food with sufficient liquids. If you smoke or drink you should refrain from it and be sure that have good regular bowel habits.
Preventive medications such as amitriptyline are widely used by neurologist to control migraine / cluster headaches. Discuss about it during your next visit to the doctor.
I hope you got my tips which will definitely help you.
Truly,
Dr. J. Ticku
Thanks for updating. The details are now clearly indicate possibility of migraine headaches.
Migraine headaches are lifestyle oriented conditions and this type of headache is triggered by the causes I have already explained earlier. You have to be cautious enough to understand what is the preceeding trigger for this type of headache and once found you have to intelligently avoid it. If you succeed in it, the intensity of pain next time will be very short lived and will be relieved by less doses of drugs. Keeping a headache diary where you can note the preceeding events / triggers during each attack can help you understand your triggers.
I will still advise that you should put yourself in least mental stress if you have an indication for an episode and you should eat light food with sufficient liquids. If you smoke or drink you should refrain from it and be sure that have good regular bowel habits.
Preventive medications such as amitriptyline are widely used by neurologist to control migraine / cluster headaches. Discuss about it during your next visit to the doctor.
I hope you got my tips which will definitely help you.
Truly,
Dr. J. Ticku
Note: For further queries related to kidney problems Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Prasad
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