Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> 2003 Posts >> Could I be a sufferer??
        
(Message started by: imcndn on Apr 30^th, 2003, 8:33am)

Title: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by imcndn on Apr 30^th, 2003, 8:33am

I have suffered from "migrain like" headaches for the past few years. I get the headaches infrequently, usually after physical activity (but this is not always the case).

Smoking and alcohol seems to increase the pain and duration of the headache but I would not say that the headache is started by them.

Up until a few days ago I associated the headaches I get with dehydration. Upon hearing a radio broadcast about cluster headaches I decided I should look into these types of headaches.

My symptoms are much like those generally associated with cluster headaches. The pain is focused on one side of my face, often behind an eye. The headache is often accompanied by a warm feeling over my entire head (sweaty brow). I find I can't lie down while I have the headache as this tends to increase the pain. Generally the headache lasts a few hours and is not "unbearable" but sufficient enough to make sleeping difficult.

As I said I can't determine a cycle for the headaches. I would guess they occur approximately once a month, sometimes more often. I generally get them after physical activity or prolonged exposer to summer heat.

Could I be suffering from cluster headaches? I would really like to understand what is the cause of the headaches in hopes of decreasing the frequency and pain involved.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
imcndn

Any help

Title: Re: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by Wendy the Brit on Apr 30^th, 2003, 8:55am

Hello 'imcndn'

Have you followed the 'new visitor' link on the left? The Cluster Quiz can go a long way to helping discover if it is clusters, and the links section has a good guide to other types of headache.

In my limited experience, this does not sound like clusters, hasn't your Doctor given you any ideas.
Be pleased if it is another type of headache as they are mostly more manageable than clusters!

Good luck finding out what the problem is, and welcome here if I am wrong and if it is clusters

W the B

Title: Re: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by echo on Apr 30^th, 2003, 9:21am

on 04/30/03 at 08:33:58, imcndn wrote:

I have suffered from "migrain like" headaches for the past few years. I get the headaches infrequently, usually after physical activity (but this is not always the case).

Physical activity for some is a method of getting rid of a cluster.

on 04/30/03 at 08:33:58, imcndn wrote:

Smoking and alcohol seems to increase the pain and duration of the headache but I would not say that the headache is started by them.

You may want to start keeping a journal of what you have done, eaten or drank prior to getting your headache. Food and drink can be a cluster trigger for some.

on 04/30/03 at 08:33:58, imcndn wrote:

The pain is focused on one side of my face, often behind an eye. The headache is often accompanied by a warm feeling over my entire head (sweaty brow). I find I can't lie down while I have the headache as this tends to increase the pain. Generally the headache lasts a few hours and is not "unbearable" but sufficient enough to make sleeping difficult.

Behind the eye and difficultly laying still or sleeping is a common reference with CH. Can't say about the sweaty brow tho, hasn't happened to me anyway.

on 04/30/03 at 08:33:58, imcndn wrote:

As I said I can't determine a cycle for the headaches. I would guess they occur approximately once a month, sometimes more often. I generally get them after physical activity or prolonged exposer to summer heat.

Could I be suffering from cluster headaches?

Any help

Frequecy and duration are difficult to pin down with CH. After years of dealing with them one can start to determine when they will return for another visit.
Possible you have CH. Take the quiz, visit with a neuro that has had dealing with CH sufferers.

Good luck

Title: Re: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by cootie on Apr 30^th, 2003, 9:25am

Hey imcndn........what was the radio broadcast ya heard.....what all'd it say......that's prudy interesting. Sorry yer head hurts.........did you take that cluster quiz on here yet ? I get the dreaded M word type....but there "nothin" compared to what these folks get by a long shot. Hope ya find sum help here and figure out what type yours are !! I can headbang too Pam

Title: Re: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by imcndn on Apr 30^th, 2003, 10:12am

Thanks everyone for all your help!

I took the quiz and I don't think it is clusters I suffer from.

After doing a bit more research I came upon a fairly common headache type called an effort migraine or exertion headache. As the name suggests it is brought on by physical activity. There is an intence sharp pain following the activity followed by a throbing pain for the next 4 to 6 hours with migrain like symptoms.

This sounds more the type of headache I experience.

http://www.mdadvice.com/library/sport/sport28.html

Thanks again for all your help... it is greatly appreciated.

imcndn

Title: Re: Could I be a sufferer??
Post by imcndn on Apr 30^th, 2003, 10:33am

cootie,
The radio broadcast was on an AM radio station here in Ontario (AM 640).

They were talking about headaches and clusters came up. They just mentioned the acute pain located on one side of the face and that they can be induced by smoking and drinking. That sounds like me so I thought I would look more into it.

It wasn't a broadcast specifically on CH's. They were mentioned more in passing.

imcndn