Cluster Headaches and Coping With The Pain
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For a small portion of sufferers, 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 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 cluster headache can strike a patient at any time. 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 resulting in a pain crisis. The pain is often intense enough to trigger great emotional stress. Immediate treatment is very important. Sedatives and pain killers can do a great deal to mitigate the devastating pain frequently associated with a cluster headache.
Cluster headache treatment is a difficult process because of the seemingly random nature of their attacks. Instead of always remaining on 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 can reduce the pain of the first attack significantly.
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 can also help to reduce cluster headache occurence. 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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