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Topic: Always searching for root of problem and natural c (Read 366 times) |
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ncmountains
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Always searching for root of problem and natural c
« on: Oct 10th, 2003, 6:33pm » |
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I have been a sufferer of cluster headaches for about 6 years. I have done research on the web & now understand that it is the carotid artery that when it gets dilated (gets a lot bigger than usual) and presses against the trigemal nerve. This is the nerve that runs from the base of the neck up to our forehead and branches out. This is what causes such intense pain. What I have also discovered is when I feel one of these monster headaches coming on, is that coffee is a vaso-dilator (makes the carotid artery smaller). With the hot coffee I take 2 Advil. While I am waiting for the artery to constrict, I take deep breaths (adding lots of oxygen) and have ice in a paper towel on the right side of my forehead. The results have been very good. I usually get relief within 5-20 minutes, depending on the pain level at the time. I have been wanting to share this with fellow sufferers...thanks for listening.
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BobG
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #1 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 6:45pm » |
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Welcome to the board ncmountains
Many others here have reported using strong, hot coffee as a way to relieve the pain.
Drugs such as Cafergot, Cafatine, Ercaf and Wigraine are caffeine and ergotamine and cause vasoconstriction (narrowing) of arteries and veins that supply blood to the head.
You're right, deep breathing to get max oxygen can be a big plus also. Have you tried 100% O2?
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ncmountains
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #2 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 7:23pm » |
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Thanks so much for replying to my message...I have never posted to a board in my life before this, but I think it is important. I don't think that we should give up hope and just rely on doctors, and I don't think we need all these drugs .Doctors right now are just guessing. I prefer to do my own research and be my own guinea pig without all the side effects. No I haven't tried pure air, but when this thing hits my nose & it gets really stuffy, I sniff some nose drops so I can get some good deep breathing doing again. What do you do?
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BobG
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #3 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 8:05pm » |
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At this time I'm not in a cluster cycle so I'm not on any meds. I do get hit once or twice a month. They're usually short, 20 to 30 minutes, and low level, kip 4 or 5.
When that happens (always in the REM sleep mode) I go where it's the coolest and use a bag if ice on my face/side of the head.
As for research read under all the buttons on the left side of the screen and over at the OUCH website. There's more info here than you'll find anywhere else in the world.
You may be right that (we all) don't need all these drugs but it sure helps getting through the pain until something better comes along.
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Ueli
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #4 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 8:46pm » |
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I'm a firm believer in better living through pharmaceutical products. 
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Zonie
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #5 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 9:07pm » |
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Bob, sounds as if you and I treat our pain very much the same. I use "cold" wash cloths (preferably with ice), cafergot, and oxygen (when I had it) and all of this is done in the coolest room in the house while sitting in front of a fan. I even have my own little "seating areas" where I can best apply the most pressure to the exact spot to stop the pain. Do you never have any breakthroughs during your waking hours? Mine are day and night with the greater majority at night. Since I lost my oxygen, I have resorted to saline nose spray up my left nostril and am really amazed that it has helped as of late. I have even managed to avoid a cafergot or two if I can catch it in time. Of course, you are at a disadvantage by being awakened during the night. By the time that mine wake me, they are usually about a 6 or 7. During waking hours, I can grab the ice, and run for the fan much sooner. I have found that ice in a paper towel works great when we're out in public and getting some strange glances by rocking or dancing around alone.
I guess that it's pretty amazing that we've all probably discovered many different little things that helps each individual, but I don't have time to make a pot of coffee before I've grabbed the cafergot.
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BobG
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #6 on: Oct 10th, 2003, 10:01pm » |
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Quote:| Do you never have any breakthroughs during your waking hours? |
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When in a cycle (I haven’t had a “true” cycle for about 4 years) I have had many attacks during waking hours but mine usually came during REM sleep mode.
Quote:| you are at a disadvantage by being awakened during the night. |
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I have spent probably hundreds of hours sleeping in a recliner. Keeping the head elevated seems to help lessen the night-time attacks. Seems I would wake at a lower kip level and could fight back sooner.
Quote:| I have found that ice in a paper towel works great when we're out in public |
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It can make a clusterhead uncomfortable to be caught in public while getting hit. You just do what you have to do and the public be damned. At a time like that I never worried about what anyone else thought. One time I had to stop at a 7-11 and send the wife in for ice any ice or anything frozen. She came out with a 10 pound bag of ice. I guess It looked kind of weird to see a guy sitting in the car pressing his head against a bag of ice.
Quote:| I don't have time to make a pot of coffee |
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Some have the coffee made and ready, just sitting there cold. 45 seconds in the microwave and it’s drinkable.
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| « Last Edit: Oct 10th, 2003, 10:02pm by BobG » |
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hyperacktive
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Re: Always searching for root of problem and natur
« Reply #7 on: Oct 14th, 2003, 4:30pm » |
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I've also found doing the ice, caffine, pain reliever thing to be very helpful...sometimes it can even stop the attack all together. Of course, the results will differ based on each person's particular physiology, the type and amount of frequency in their headache cycle.
I use an Ace Reusable Cold Compress Pack. Its very nice and molds to the face well making it easy to shape it to fit over the forehead, eye socket and cheek. I usually rotate it around as needed and move it back and forth from the face to the back of the neck to freeze up that artery and the capilaries downstream. I would suggest that any CH sufferer have one of these in the freezer for those hard times - unless, of course, you have cardiac/circulation problems that would indicate that you not use a cold compress. But for me - its been a life saver.
Instead of coffee (I can't tolerate the taste of it) I drink a whopping portion of Mountain Dew (lots of caffine and even though its somewhat sugary and syrupy (syrupy? hehe) it does seem to do the trick.
These things along with an Aleve (naproxen) at the first hint of the attack can sometimes abort the headache all together. Although I have had some good results with Zomig recently, I'm tired of buying Imitrex and Zomig at their current costs ...and sometimes it takes too damned long before the zolmitripan begins to work anyways. Which means: there goes 50 bucks down the drain.
Based on my experience and many successfully aborted attacks, I believe this to be the most effective OTC therapy that any CH (or migraine sufferer) can do for themselves once the cycle has started.
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