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Topic: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS (Read 767 times) |
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jailcop
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THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« on: Mar 15th, 2005, 8:28pm » |
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I saw the neurologist today. On the way home another much less severe headache occurred in a different area of the head. Luckily I had 2 codeine pills with me, it made the drive home a bit difficult ( 20 miles ) but the pain went away quickly. The diagnosis is THUNDER CLAP HEADACHES. The doctor is very sure it's not clusters or migraines and still wants to do an MRI to rule out a blood flow problem. He didn't give me a way to combat the pain other than to go to the hospital for treatment if it's really bad. He said this type of pain is not likely to last or reoccur, as he put it they just happen sometimes. People will go through this and when it's over you may never get them again. The pain I had today started as a stiffening in the back of the neck followed by pressure on the top of the head ( not the forehead like before ) after about 20 minutes the pressure turned to pain. Not severe but enough to make you feel really lousy. I took the pills and when I got home I hit the couch and fell asleep. When I woke up an hour later the pain was gone but the pressure is still there. I informed the doctor all about what I had read about clusters but he said although some of the symptoms are similar there not the same. Well if anyone knows anything about Thunder Clap Headaches let me know, even the Physicians Assistant who did the initial exam on me today didn't know anything about them. THE INITIAL THREAD I STARTED IT CALLED "NEW TO CLUSTERS>NOT HAPPY. I'm posting here to see if anyone has heard of this.
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Kris_in_SJ
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #1 on: Mar 15th, 2005, 8:42pm » |
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Hi Jailcop,
"Thunderclap is basically a sudden and very severe headache that may go to major pain in 60 seconds. Usually, thunderclap is like migraine, in that it has no other cause (ie no one hit you with a club, and you don't have an aneurysm) and it won't do any permanent damage. Unlike migraine, there may not be much you can do to prevent it.
However, sometimes these headaches are a sign of a serious problem. For example, about ½ of the patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (when an artery ruptures and bleeds in the brain) have reported thunderclap as one of their major symptoms. Other possible causes include:
unruptured aneurysms, carotid or vertebral artery dissections, pituitary apoplexy, cerebral vasospasm, occipital neuralgia, and Erve virus."
I pulled this off the web in a quick search, but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable than me will come along with more info. My advice (based on what could be causing your headaches) is to have the MRI. If you have an aneurysm or other weakness in an artery of the brain, the test will show it. Based on your symptoms, it's probably not clusters. However ... pain is pain. And, severe HA pain is the worst!
Keep us informed, and many big hugs to you,
Kris
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Lizzie2
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #2 on: Mar 15th, 2005, 9:03pm » |
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Maybe it's a difference in terminology?
Thunderclap headaches are RED FLAGS as danger signals for unruptured aneurysms. Short of that, I don't believe there is any type of headache category known as "thunderclap headaches."
I suppose this could perhaps be confused with Ice Pick Headaches (Idiopathic Stabbing Headache)?
I don't know...just taking wild guesses here.
However, the words "Thunderclap Headache" are used when referring to a sudden, extremely severe attack that is often experienced prior to an aneurysm rupturing and a few other blood vessel related conditions.
I would try to get a little better clarification from the doctor because "Thunderclap Headache" in the headache world is generally considered a danger sign for something more serious!
Not trying to scare you, but trying to provide an additional insight...
Best to you,
Lizzie2/Carrie 
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jailcop
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #3 on: Mar 15th, 2005, 9:32pm » |
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Makes sense to me, he didn't seem very urgent in getting things done however my CAT scans were normal. So I thinks he's confident that nothing is happening at this time to worry about. I will be calling him tomorrow. on Mar 15th, 2005, 9:03pm, Lizzie2 wrote:Maybe it's a difference in terminology?
Thunderclap headaches are RED FLAGS as danger signals for unruptured aneurysms. Short of that, I don't believe there is any type of headache category known as "thunderclap headaches."
I suppose this could perhaps be confused with Ice Pick Headaches (Idiopathic Stabbing Headache)?
I don't know...just taking wild guesses here.
However, the words "Thunderclap Headache" are used when referring to a sudden, extremely severe attack that is often experienced prior to an aneurysm rupturing and a few other blood vessel related conditions.
I would try to get a little better clarification from the doctor because "Thunderclap Headache" in the headache world is generally considered a danger sign for something more serious!
Not trying to scare you, but trying to provide an additional insight...
Best to you,
Lizzie2/Carrie |
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don
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #4 on: Mar 15th, 2005, 9:34pm » |
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Quote:I suppose this could perhaps be confused with Ice Pick Headaches (Idiopathic Stabbing Headache)?
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If the CAT scans were normal and the Doc is showing no concern I would question him further about the above.
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jokrs2
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #5 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 2:40am » |
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Please remember that your doctor is "practicing" on you.
I had a doctor tell me nothing was wrong once and 24 hours later a surgeon had my intestines on my chest and was removing gang green body parts...  .. Hopefully there is nothing wrong, but I would seek a second opinion. Best wishes, Joe
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pubgirl
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #6 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 4:30am » |
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Jailcop
I'm afraid I agree with the others. I don't think thunderclap headaches is now any recognised headache type.
The majority of the shorter lived headache types (there are several e.g. paroxysmal hemicrania, idiopathic stabbing headache etc) are known as "indomethacin responsive" headaches. I would suggest you do some research around this in the OUCH library (link left) and on the net and ask your doctor a few more questions.
The hint is in the name of this group of headaches though, they are all very treatable with indomethacin.
Wendy
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Bob_Johnson
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #7 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 7:34am » |
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A search on PubMed had 75 hits for "thunderclap". Major theme: often serious underlying problems needing diagnosis.
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Neurologist. 2002 Sep;8(5):279-89. Related Articles, Links
Causes and management of thunderclap headache: a comprehensive review.
Linn FH, Wijdicks EF.
Department of Neurology, Central Military Hospital/University Medical Center, Utrecht, the Netherlands. f.h.h.linn@neuro.azu.nl
BACKGROUND: Thunderclap headache (or sudden severe headache) is an uncommon type of headache. Recognition and accurate diagnosis of this headache are important, because there is often a serious underlying brain disorder. SUMMARY: In this article, causes and management of thunderclap headache are discussed. In the primary care setting, there is a serious cause in one third of patients, but in the hospital setting, up to two thirds of patients have a serious underlying brain disorder. Clues in history and physical examination can point to a possible serious underlying cause of thunderclap headache, such as subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracranial hematoma, or cerebral venous thrombosis. The remaining patients with thunderclap headache, however, have a primary headache disorder, such as migraine or (less frequently) tension headache with an unusual sudden onset, exertional headache, coital headache, cough headache, or cluster headache. The concept of thunderclap headache as a distinct clinical entity is discussed, with implications for its evaluation. Present radiological techniques are reviewed with regard to their diagnostic utility in detecting a serious brain disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Thunderclap headache is an uncommon type of headache, and a serious underlying cause should be excluded.
PMID: 12803675 [PubMed]
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Neurology. 2004 Apr 27;62( :1414-6. Related Articles, Links
Nimodipine for treatment of primary thunderclap headache.
Lu SR, Liao YC, Fuh JL, Lirng JF, Wang SJ.
Department of Neurology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Taiwan.
Eleven patients with primary thunderclap headache (TCH) were treated with oral nimodipine 30 to 60 mg every 4 hours or IV nimodipine 0.5 to 2 mg/h if the oral regimen failed or images showed cerebral vasospasm. With oral nimodipine, headache did not recur in the nine patients without vasospasm. IV nimodipine was given in two patients with vasospasm, including one who developed ischemic stroke. Nimodipine may be effective for TCH. Vasospasm may warrant IV nimodipine.
Publication Types:
Clinical Trial
PMID: 15111686 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
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| « Last Edit: Mar 16th, 2005, 1:41pm by Bob_Johnson » |
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Bob Johnson
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KMT
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #8 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 10:35am » |
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Sounds like to me it is the doctors way of saying I don't know what the Hell it is so lets slap a funny name on it for your sake and then he write on your chart HA. The fact that he gave you nothing for it. I don't know if I would trust him but that is my opinion...
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aka...................................................... KimY
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jailcop
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #10 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 2:08pm » |
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Started my blood pressure meds today, also got a perscription for 500mg Naproxen. No pain today but not feeling to good over all. Pain is starting in the back of my neck, will most likely have some sort of head pain soon. I'm supposed to return to work tomorrow but I hope I feel better than today or it's going to be a tough 8 hours for the inmates.
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jailcop
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #12 on: Mar 16th, 2005, 8:03pm » |
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I have one next week. I almost hope they find something ( minor of course ) so I have a reason for the pain. Today was a pretty good day overall. Still not feeling myself but no head pain is a good thing. God Bless all of the people on this site that deal with kind of stuff everyday. on Mar 16th, 2005, 7:56pm, TonyG1 wrote:You might speak with your doc about MRI / MRA -- MRA of the brain should tell if there is a blood flow issue.  |
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jailcop
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Re: THUNDER CLAP NOT CLUSTERS
« Reply #13 on: Mar 30th, 2005, 10:36pm » |
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Well the results are in, I had my MRI/MRA and they found nothing, everything is normal. So the thunder clap headaches I mentioned in my first post NEW TO CLUSTERS>NOT HAPPY are of unknown origin. I have a follow up next week to discuss the options but there really are none. As my doctor told me I may never get another HA or I could get one now, there is no way to tell. I want to find out if there is anything I can carry with me to help abort the pain if it hit me at a bad time. If I'm home I can take the Vicoden and just wait it out since the generally seem to only last and hour or 2. But I am an avid motorcycle rider and golfer and If I'm 200 miles from home I need something to kill the pain quick. I've been basically pain free for almost 2 weeks now, I've had a couple of rumbles of pain in the temple but nothing to warrant anything more than a few Tylenol but I always get nervous that another thunder clap is coming. As I have mentioned before they go from 0 to full on agony in 2 minutes or less. Well I'll keep to posted on what the Dr tells me next week. Thanks to all you wonderful caring people for all the great help and information you have provided me....
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