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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
        
(Message started by: bittsen on Feb 25^th, 2006, 2:23am)

Title: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by bittsen on Feb 25^th, 2006, 2:23am

Hello, I am new here so forgive me if this has been posted before.

My Dr. Diagnosed me with Turbinate probs but that didn't fix me.

This last episode of cluster headaches has been pretty bad and a friend suggested a cure that blew me away.

First, let me tell you I always take aspirin when one comes on and for 20 minutes I could pull the trigger on a gun. But then the aspirin does it's thing and its completely gone in about a minute's time.

Well, my friend said she puts a hot pack on her sunus area and it goes away.
I finally, reluctantly, tried it last night and it worked like a charm. In fact, the washrag I used worked whether hot or cold. Something about the water maybe.

Anyhow, if it keeps me from contemplating my demise, I will keep doing it.

Anyone else ever try the wet rag?

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by Jonny on Feb 25^th, 2006, 3:12am

on 02/25/06 at 02:23:21, bittsen wrote:

.
First, let me tell you I always take aspirin when one comes on and for 20 minutes I could pull the trigger on a gun. But then the aspirin does it's thing and its completely gone in about a minute's time.

Try taking the cluster quiz on the left, cause from what I read "You do not have CH"

Aspirin? ::)

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by LeLimey on Feb 25^th, 2006, 3:23am

Hi Bittsen, I have to say aspirin won't touch the sides of CH however, there are over 600 headache types and many have several symptoms in common. The key is finding the right one as the wrong medication won't just not help your pain, it could kill you.
Can you describe more of your symptoms and the length of your headaches (with and without treatment)

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by bittsen on Feb 25^th, 2006, 12:00pm

OK, first thing, I did take the quiz.
Second
I will be sleeping, and wake up on excruciating pain under and behind my right eye.
I have had a complete MRI and the only thing the doctor saw was "enlarged turbinates".
The headaches have on a few occasions come on while I was awake and go from zero on the scale to a 10 in about 5 minutes.
If untreated.....(yeah, like I would allow it to go on untreated) it will last for about 45 minutes until I feel a quick sudden increase (yes, it is possible to go past a 10 on the scale, you do however scream in agony at the time) there is a "sensation" that lets me know relief is about 3 minutes away.
I have only let it go full cycle twice.

Now, it is possible that the aspirin has a placebo effect, or it is possible that in me (remember the cause of cluster headaches is unknown) the trigger for the cluster headache is affected by aspirin.

Also, a note, The headaches are ALWAYS at night (2 exceptions) and they are more frequent in the spring or fall. And yes, I have gone years between episodes.

<I>whew.......this early typing is hard on the brain</i>

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by burnt-toast on Feb 25^th, 2006, 12:51pm

When I went undiagnosed for a couple of years I became an aspirin junkie - I got up to 11 x-tra strength Excedrin at the first sign of attacks that basically went on for an hour or more so I knew it was time to stop ye old aspirin therapy. Aspirin only appeared to be effective due to the shorter attacks that abated by themselves within 15 or 20 min.

I had simular results from hot compresses on sinus/eye/temple areas.

Keep records of your experineces and work closely with your docs. because you may not be suffering from CH.

Good luck on your journey and let us know how things are going.

Tom

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by LeLimey on Feb 25^th, 2006, 1:16pm

Hello again Bittsen,
From what you say your attacks are fairly short lived which makes me think it is more likely to be Paroxysmal Hemicrania than CH. It is thought TAC's which both CH and PH are varieties of are caused by the Hypothalamus, a gland in your brain. When an attack occurs the blood vessels in your brain expand by up to ten times their normal size which is what causes the excruciating pain.
If aspirin is working I would hazard a guess that either your attacks are shorter than you think or you don't have a TAC type headache as frankly, you'd be the first one to have aspirin work for on a full blown hit to my knowledge. The most common abortives are triptans and o2 both of which are vaso constrictors and work by bringing the blood vessels back to normal size and thus reducing the pain. Aspirin is a completely different type of painkiller and works in a different manner. For this same reason, opiates are not effective for CH. Extemely powerful painkillers but just the wrong type.
PH whilst being as painful as CH differs in two ways, the length of the attacks, which you fit and responsiveness to other drugs such as indometacin. It would be well worth discussing this possibility with your doctor as for the sake of a few days of indo on a trial you could be pain free.. which is our goal!
Let us know how you get on, everyone's experiences all add up to our collective knowledge!
Helen

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by mynm156 on Feb 25^th, 2006, 8:45pm

Well Hello,

Asprin as with most over the counter meds usually just take our money and leave us a little poorer and in pain. The hot,warm, cold thing doesnt surprise me. Its the same nerves that trigger the Brain Freeeze I have From time to time had fair results with hot washclothes on my face. But it only has taken the edge off NEVER aborted one.

MYNM156

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by bittsen on Feb 25^th, 2006, 8:49pm

Don't get me wrong. It did in no way abort the episode. But it did make life extremely bearable.

I was able to go back to sleep as long as the washcloth was on my face.

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by Dragnlance on Feb 25^th, 2006, 11:44pm

I find asprin a really good way to burn a hole in your stomach during a CH hit. Doesnt do a thing for the pain

Dragn

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by bittsen on Feb 25^th, 2006, 11:52pm

LOL.......if I took more than 2, yeah...

But they are coated aspirin like the ones heart patients have to take. I take them infrequently.

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by tessa_c on Feb 27^th, 2006, 4:11am

i wish that asprin or apap would help me. would keep a lot of money in my pocket.

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by mynm156 on Mar 1^st, 2006, 6:21pm

on 02/25/06 at 23:44:27, Dragnlance wrote:

I find asprin a really good way to burn a hole in your stomach during a CH hit. Doesnt do a thing for the pain

Dragn

You noticed that too huh? I thought it was just me. I recall when I was trying to deal with these before I knew anything and man did I eat alot of pills!!!!

Title: Re: Quick remedy (It shocked me that it worked)
Post by sandie99 on Mar 2^nd, 2006, 5:17am

bittsen,

I suffer from lots of different kind of HAs, CH being the worst. From my experiece aspirin works for the regular HAs, but it does absolutely nothing to CH. I know it very well as I tried it when I got my very first CH hits.

Best wishes,
Sanna