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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
        
(Message started by: judyjudyjudy on May 14^th, 2008, 12:12pm)

Title: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by judyjudyjudy on May 14^th, 2008, 12:12pm

I notice that CHers are about half and half heat-seekers and cold-seekers. This seems so strange...how can two such opposite sensations help the same thing? If I put cold on my face I'd die! It feels like poking a million needles into my face. Whereas, heat is soothing to me. I've had CH for 25 years.

My question is, does anyone know exactly WHAT heat or cold does to help?

And, if you're a heat-seeker, does cold air START a headache with you (like being under a ceiling fan) as it does to me?

For cold-seekers, who actually want to have cold air/ice on the cluster side for relief, does warm air trigger a CH with you?

I've spent so many summers turning off everyone's fans, it never occurred to me that anyone else would stick their face in FRONT of one for relief!

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by DennisM1045 on May 14^th, 2008, 12:21pm

I'm some kind of hybred.

I've tried ice packs and cold showers but find I get more relief from heat. Holding my hand over my eye, a heating pad or a hot shower.

However cold air can really help too. Monday was brutal with multiple hits and shadows but when I went to my little ones baseball games my head cleared completely after about an hour. It was in the upper 40s and windy.

Weird...

-Dennis-

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Brew on May 14^th, 2008, 12:49pm

Fans don't cool the air. They simply move it, which in turn causes perspiration to evaporate more quickly. And evaporation, in terms of physics, is a cooling process.

Cold on the body causes blood vessels to constrict. Heat causes them to expand. I don't know how to explain the fact that some people get relief with heat from an affliction that is caused by rapid, massive expansion of a blood vessel. Perhaps the heat on the surface causes those surface vessels to expand, thus pushing on the tissue that is deeper and forcing that deeper vessel to constrict from pressure. I don't know.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Paige_H. on May 14^th, 2008, 1:04pm

I just can't handle the heat on my head at all. It makes me want to puke, for lack of a better way of putting it. I like the heat on my shoulder, the next day if it is still sore and it usually is. But cold constricts vessels and decreases swelling, it will also numb.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by thomas on May 14^th, 2008, 1:58pm

I never use heat on my head, but I LOVE heat on the back and side of my neck, and LOVE cold on my head. One of the benefits of being bald, it cools down awful quickly!

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Karla on May 14^th, 2008, 4:48pm

I love the cold. I hate heat. Anything heat related just kills me and I will get hit.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Dan Moore on May 14^th, 2008, 9:15pm

Must be cold!

Like many others, the thought of heat anywhere near my head makes me feel sick........

My face feels so swollen before, during and after an attack, that ice seems to be the easiest way to stop me from looking like the Elephant Man [smiley=bag.gif]

Different strokes for different folks I guess!

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by CostaRicaKris on May 14^th, 2008, 9:28pm

I don't know why I prefer heat. I know it doesn't make any sense. That side of my face already feels hot, swollen and is red and sweaty. Why would I put a heating pad on it? ( I don't know, but I do and it seems to help)

~Kris

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by George_J on May 14^th, 2008, 10:07pm

Cold.

The worst thing I ever tried was one of those heated face masks that some find helpful for migraines.

Best,

George

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by jon019 on May 14^th, 2008, 11:12pm

Truly weird, and I haven't even begun to TRY and understand it.

When hit I crave a HOT shower. Will stand under it (hit temple) for hours and do get some relief as long as I am there. As soon as I leave, BAM!

In the midst of the dance, I will stand (well, can't stand, but do return to) in front of the fan/air conditioner and praise Allah, Buddah, Christ, Whoever! at how good it feels. Don't mean ice pack, or frozen veggies, or such isn't a brother to the beast. Can't handle those.

Have tried to intellectualize what is going on and I am at a loss. One or the other should work, for all kinds of reasons. Reasoning don't enter into it.

Whatever works for you, God bless, do it!!!

Regards

Jon

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by sandie99 on May 15^th, 2008, 3:29am

Cold helps me when I get hit. Heat is absolutely a no no for me, it can trigger a hit quickly.

BUT I did notice that few winters back the cold air outside did trigger shadows. It's interesting with the beast... ;;D

Sanna

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by BarbaraD on May 15^th, 2008, 9:31am

I have to have COLD!!! My heating bill in the winter is very low - I keep the house to meat hanging temp .. but make up for it during the summer... Can't stand to sleep in a "warm" room. Everyone who comes to visit brings overcoats (even in the summer).

Ice-packs are just a "thing" in my house.

But on the other hand - a hot shower on my head sometimes helps... go figure out that one.

These things DON'T make sense... we just do whatever seems right at the time. (Heck I wear a headband with magnets under it at the temples half the time - don't know if it helps, but it's definitely a fashion statement.)

Hugs BD

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by judyjudyjudy on May 15^th, 2008, 11:48am

I hear the fashion statement...I've been wearing this fleece headband (think Olivia Newton-John in the "Let's Get Physical video) everywhere and it's freaking 70 degrees outside. But the slightest spring breeze will hit me like nothing else.

As an added bonus, the headband has earflaps, so when I do get hit, I can rotate an earflap over one eye, then I look like Phantom of the Opera or some kind of crazed pirate. Gotta love multi-purpose headgear.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by midwestbeth on May 15^th, 2008, 2:33pm

First thing I grab is my icepack. I apply icepack to the back of my neck, the sinus area of my face and the side of my head. Rotate when area is frozen.

Weird.....when I am in high cycle, it seems my internal thermostat is out of wack. I am normally a warm person, but when in high cycle, I am cold. It has nothing to do with the tempature outside. I know I'm going into low cycle when I am warm again.

During some bad hits (Kip 8-9&10) I like to sit in front of my fireplace with icepack on my face. I will go from feeling freezing cold, to having a hot flash.

My hypothingamajiggy has messed up my temperature.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by kevmd on May 15^th, 2008, 3:56pm

cold is better and I have a bit of a theory to that. However a hot shower will soothe my head, very hot.... almost to the point where you burn yourself. An ice cold shower has a better chance of actually aborting a CH for me. AGain, it has to be so cold you can only stay directly under the water for 5-10 seconds or has long as you can tolerate. The longer, the better for me. My reasoning is the ice cold water shocks my body and my brain starts to react differently than it is during a CH, thus aborting the CH. Just my own personal theory. Can get a short eating icecream to fast type of HA but it goes away. If the cold water does not abort it after up to 5 times going under the water for up to 10 seconds, then I'll go back to the hot just to soothe the pain a bit

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Brew on May 15^th, 2008, 4:05pm

What is one to take from this thread?

I do this. This works best.

Well I do that. That works best.

Don't do this.

Don't do that.

Bullshit. Do whatever works for you. Operative words being "for you."

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by jon019 on May 15^th, 2008, 9:57pm

on 05/15/08 at 16:05:43, Brew wrote:

Gee brew, have reread the thread and just cannot find anyone saying THIS is the way to do it. We're all just throwing out what works for us. Personally, I am at a loss as to why or how ANYTHING works with this shit.

There is not a hit I experience where I don't recall Brian's signature of "30 yrs of CH and still no bloody good at it". I'm just dancin' fast as I can... Haven't figured it out yet...

If I was to profer advice I would recommend the "blues".As one old bluesman said, "the blues aint about being down, they is about being down and gettin' back up again!" Can you describe a more appropriate attitude toward CH? I can't...

Personal favorites include: BB King (The Thrill is Gone, How Blue Can You Get), Muddy Waters (Crosseyed Cat, Mannish Boy), George Thorogood (Bad To the Bone, I Drink Alone, One Bourbon, One Scotch, ...and One Beer, and Bozz Scaggs (Loan Me a Dime, with Duane Allman on the axe). My colleagues know that Jon listens to the blues all the time. When they hear these particular songs, they know Jon is hurtin'...God bless 'em.

Can't and won't disagree with you. "Do whatever works for you".

Regards,

Jon

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Brew on May 15^th, 2008, 10:12pm

We're saying the same thing, Jon. There is no across-the-board heat-or-cold remedy.

I, too, listen to the blues - but I've never considered it as CH salve. Maybe I will next time. Thanks for the idea.

Bill

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by judyjudyjudy on May 15^th, 2008, 11:55pm

Actually, the thread started with my wondering if other people who are heat-seekers for relief found that cold was a trigger for them, like it is for me. Then I wondered if the opposite was true for cold seekers, if heat was a headache trigger for them.

However, I realize that I rambled too much to make that question clear. Sorry. Would still really love to hear any input on that. Thanks. Judy

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by darknight on May 20^th, 2008, 12:12pm

Hi Judy,

Im a cold man always have and will be!!! Before CH i would always prefer cold to heat and now i find heat a major trigger for me from Living rooms to bedrooms if the temp aint right it will start within 30mins!! Cold is great soothing and relaxing for me ive never noitced it to get rid of an attack but ice and cold are soothing to me!

PFD TO ALL ;)

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by mezza on May 21^st, 2008, 1:33am

cold seeker- hot baths in high cycle make me have strong shadows

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Paula on May 24^th, 2008, 9:39pm

Cold for me. I take luck warm showers (which I hate) I Love them hot, but it will bring on the beast when I am in cycle. I have to go wet into the bed room to get to my O2. The sun will also bring them on when in cycle. The only thing you can rely on is everyone of us is different with the same afliction and the beast can chenge his mind at ANY time. Not liking these things after 35 years I am really tired of playing cat and mouse with the devil. But we do what we have to, just to servive till he takes a break. Real tired of the beast. My hat is iff to the cronics, don't know if I could handle what you do. Anyway, way off the subject now, but my TRIGGER is partly heat and cold gives some relief.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Audre on May 24^th, 2008, 11:37pm

Mine seems to change. The last one, cold wasn't doing anything but a really hot shower helped a bit. Before that I couldn't get anywhere near hot water because it would make it worse. When the hot water made it worse, I did notice that before the headache would come on I'd start getting really hot no matter the temperature.

It's weird that from one cycle to the next the things that used to help no longer work. It's like I defeat the beast and another one comes but the last one's weaknesses are the new one's strengths.

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by welshchipmonk on May 25^th, 2008, 4:27am

Dave used to be a "warm" person, I suffer from Fibomyalgia so have always wanted the house really warm as I feel like I have the flu half the time, so we used to have conflicts about room temperature. But since being in cycle he feels cold a lot, but if the room gets warm it wakes the beast up, so he definitely wins now as theres no way I'd want to cause more hits than already happen. When the beast is awake, his nose goes ice cold like he's been in the Arctic!! We have a well established routine of grabbing the fan, getting cold flannels, and if he's really bad he will sit in a cold bath for ages. I often find him sat at the bottom of the bed in front of the window or fan, when I'm buried under the duvet with T-shirt on and a throw!! So far we've had a few "warm" days 64ish F - and he's definitely felt worse, so I hoping and praying he's out of cycle before the summer comes - (if it does living in "Sunny South Wales" ;;D)

Suzie

Title: Re: heat-seekers vs. cold-seekers
Post by Cynthia on May 25^th, 2008, 3:49pm

I prefer cool/cold/ice. I don't think it aborts the CH or anything, it just feels better and is soothing. I used to use and ice pack, but I have found that those "migraine ice" or "be kool" cold patches work pretty well, those just provide a cooling sensation though. They are nice because you don't have to keep them wraped in something to avoid the skin getting too cold, they self adhere to one spot so they dont fall all over the place when you are writhing about in pain. They do have a faint menthol smell though, which usually I don't like, but when I have to use them I am in pain and don't care about the smell. When I don't have those though I just use a regular ice pack, they work great to because I can move them from my head/face to my neck when I need or want too.

I'm not sure if heat brings mine on or not. Every time I have had them, its in late spring/early summer, and here in Alabama its really hot at that time! I haven't noticed that being exposed to heat brings one on, but it sure doesn't help mine, I was starting to get one when I left from work one time and then I got into my hot car, it got much worse by the time I was a few miles down the road.