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Topic: Long-Term Vascular Damage? (Read 809 times) |
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serendipity
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Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« on: Jul 28th, 2006, 2:30pm » |
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Hi everyone. I've been a member of this site for several years, although I rarely post. FYI - I'm an episodic CH sufferer for 17 years now.
My question is this: Since cluster headaches are (presumably) a vascular disorder, is there any long-term risk of aneurisms or other vascular problems as a result of weakened blood vessels? It seems to me that if cluster headaches affect the blood vessels, that those same vessels would weaken or sustain damage over time.
This is a question I've asked many doctors, but I've never really gotten a straight answer.
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seasonalboomer
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #1 on: Jul 28th, 2006, 2:56pm » |
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on Jul 28th, 2006, 2:30pm, serendipity wrote:Hi everyone. I've been a member of this site for several years, although I rarely post. FYI - I'm an episodic CH sufferer for 17 years now.
My question is this: Since cluster headaches are (presumably) a vascular disorder, is there any long-term risk of aneurisms or other vascular problems as a result of weakened blood vessels? It seems to me that if cluster headaches affect the blood vessels, that those same vessels would weaken or sustain damage over time.
This is a question I've asked many doctors, but I've never really gotten a straight answer. |
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As much as my answer may sound smart-alecky, the truth is we have quite a few pretty old guys (and gals) that are still kicking around here that would at least support, anectdotally, that it isn't producing long term damage.
It would seem logical that anything that hurt that much should be really bad for you but I've yet to read anything here that seems to indicate we're wearing anything out with CH.
Let's look at it from an alternate viewpoint, maybe all that blood flow and head action is actually keeping our brains in a stronger condition...... or "in shape".
Scott
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Charlotte
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #2 on: Jul 28th, 2006, 3:24pm » |
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plus all the sweating may actually prevent wrinkles.
No actual vascular damage that I know of, although it feels like it may pop.
I'd like to know if anyone has a link or photo or diagram of the circle of willis(?) which are the blood vessels that are supposedly in the same area as the trigiminal nerve?
Charlotte
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| « Last Edit: Jul 28th, 2006, 3:31pm by Charlotte » |
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Charlotte
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #4 on: Jul 28th, 2006, 3:57pm » |
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Thanks, Shane. I was all wrong about the location. I really appreciate the links.
Charlotte
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ShaneM
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #5 on: Jul 28th, 2006, 4:06pm » |
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No problem. But as I am just now learning so much about the condition I have lived with so many years, where exactly does the Circle of Willis fit into the picture? I understand that it maybe a two part issue (nerve and vaso), beyond that I must admit that I am a little clueless about the pieces and parts.
Shane
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Charlotte
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #6 on: Jul 28th, 2006, 6:49pm » |
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It's not what I thought, and I was way off. I thought the trigiminal nerve irritations caused irritation in the circle of willis, but it doesn't look like they touch or are in the same area so I must have gotten it wrong.
I know that 10 or 11 years ago, clusters were considered vascular, and it feels like there is a vascular component. However, once I saw the picture of the trigiminal nerve, I understood why all those tingles and burning and spasms in the face, why sometimes it feels like a toothache or earache or sinus.
Then I read about the dodgey hypothalamus, and that also makes sense.
I don't know why some of the hits that don't hurt as much wipe out my mind more than the really painful ones. And I really don't understand the patterns, the whole why of it.
Charlotte
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kevinpix
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #7 on: Jul 29th, 2006, 12:39am » |
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I don't think so. I agree that all the pressure "exercises" the vessels to make them stronger. I always wondered if the pain would cause a heartattack. I think we know what to expect during a bad hit, but the lighter hits surprise us enough to be a tad bit scared, which causes more pain in the long run.
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George_J
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #8 on: Jul 29th, 2006, 1:01am » |
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on Jul 29th, 2006, 12:39am, kevinpix wrote:| I agree that all the pressure "exercises" the vessels to make them stronger. |
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Don't know, really, but I always figured that if I had an aneurism ballooning out and waiting to go off it would have done so already, what with the things my head does.
My brother-in-law had one all unknown in his head. Probably had been there most, if not all, of his life. Killed him almost instantly at 50 years of age--we were told that nothing could have been done even if it had happened in a hospital. Pretty serious stuff, but nothing you can do about it, really, if you don't know.
Best regards,
George
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Ah! The foreigners put on such airs
Wearing the tangerine suits
And their harlequin eyes.
The pain they inspire
Draws in harmonica melodies
And the feathers of birds
Which flame up at their touch.
It all comes to light in the sheer
Debonair.
(Ellen)
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floridian
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Re: Long-Term Vascular Damage?
« Reply #9 on: Jul 29th, 2006, 12:42pm » |
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If nothing else, the see-sawing blood pressure with an attack and large number of cluster heads with hypertension mean an increased risk of stroke or aneurism.
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