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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Cluster Headache Specific Posts >> Handy little bruise
        
(Message started by: ChrisUhl on Apr 19^th, 2004, 6:27am)

Title: Handy little bruise
Post by ChrisUhl on Apr 19^th, 2004, 6:27am

Last night I had a huge attack. Took an Imitrex-shot and loaded up with 02. But for the first time ever it had no effect. [smiley=huh.gif]

So I resolved to severe head banging. Something I haven't done for the last couple of years since I got a severe concussion from it. Guess it's dangerous to confuse the wooden door with a concrete wall?! Anyway, the head banging started which really freaked out my girl friend. She's never seen me like this before - and I can understand why she's scared. Think I'll buy her a huge truck load of roses (or some other amount that I can afford).

But one good thing did come from it though. At one point I placed my head against the door frame and slammed the door into my skull. This caused a huge swelling on the right side of my skull (the side facing the door frame). This is really really sore spot, so when I get hit tonight I can just press the swelling to get the alternative pain.

It's kinda funny when you about it right? Fighting pain with pain. Wouldn't recommend it - although most of you have probably tried slamming your face with a frying pan or something.

Ciao and Ouch!

Chris

Title: Re: Handy little bruise
Post by CJohnson on Apr 19^th, 2004, 12:02pm

Try getting a couple of moderately heavy dumbells and doing squats with them instead. Just bend over, grab one in each hand, lift them up onto your shoulders and start doing squats until you can't squat anymore. For me, this always reduces the severity and duration of the pain.
We have all bashed our heads at some point, but hitting your skull is an inferior coping strategy. Not only for obvious health reasons, but compared to other coping mechanisms, it is pretty ineffective at relieving the pain and aborting the attack. Skull bashing is like an instinctive urge almost, when in the throws of an attack, so you need to find an activity that you can get right to so that you don't end up beating the shit out of your head.

PFDANs
-Curtis

Title: Re: Handy little bruise
Post by ChrisUhl on Apr 20^th, 2004, 5:13am

Hey Curtis

Thanks a lot for the advice. I've actually used push ups to ease the pain but the squats seems to be a nice alternative when my chest muscles burst.

Thanks again

Chris

Title: Re: Handy little bruise
Post by CJohnson on Apr 20^th, 2004, 9:34am

Hey, Chris. I've also tried push ups as well as running, sit ups, pull ups, curls etc... Nothing even comes close to the squats. There could be something to the lowering and raising motion combined with the heavy redirection of bloodflow to the large muscles of the legs that terminates or interferes with the feedback loop that is sustaining the attack and the pain. Also, you are in an upright position, whereas with pushups you are pretty much lying down. An upright position tends to be better during a cluster attack than a prone or lying position.
The emphasis should be on having an activity that is automatic AND useful when an attack occurs, because otherwise we are subject to the instinctive urges (head bashing - punching walls - screaming ) which the attack generates, and these urges do nothing to abort the attack, offer very little actual relief and only prolong the suffering.

PFDANs
-Curtis