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Title: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by Shanthini on Mar 17th, 2007, 6:57am Since being identified with cluster headaches, I was on Veaparmil and prior to that Nuerontin. Went to visit my physiotherapist (for a previous knee injury that she was treating me for) I mentioned to her about my headaches. She then asked me if I had any fall on injury to my head. In 1989 I had a bad car accident, and had about 32 stiches to my forehead and I also fell on my head - on a cement floor- in 1987 and had 3 lacerations at the back of my head. With that history she told me that it might be my neck that is causing all this pain. told me to take an x-ray which I did that same day and found that my 5th and 6th lumbar of my neck area to be not quite right. She said that she would be able to help me with exercises and electrical stimulus to the neck region. Have been going for about 6 sessions and believe it or not I have not had an attack since. Want to share this with all of you since I always never flet comfortable taking medication and maybe some of you might want to give this non invasive type of treatment a go. Thank you for all the support and I will check in here from time to time to let you know how I am doing. Take care May the Pain Free Force be with all of us! Love Shanthini |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by LeLimey on Mar 17th, 2007, 7:25am Hello again Shanthini, I've just posted a reply to your post on the CH Specific board so I'm going to repeat it here for people who don't read both! Shanthini without wishing to rain on your parade - I'm very glad your pain is gone! - BUT, CH is caused by a faulty hypothalamus, not any disc problems. If your pain WAS caused by that it wasn't CH no matter how much the symptoms resembled it. If you DO have CH it could have just coincided with the end of your cycle. The reason CH hurts so much is because the hypothalamus kicks into overdrive and causes the blood vessels on the affected side of your head to expand by up to 20X their normal size. The only way to reduce the pain is to constrict those blood vessels (once an attack starts) I'm sorry if I sound like a wet blanket but I'm posting this, not just for your benefit but also for those who read this ste and never post. Desperate pain makes us desperate to find something that will help and I truly appreciate that, I've tried plenty myself! However, the key to finding the best treatments for each of us individually is education about this awful condition so I hope I've helped with that at least. I'm glad you're pain free! Helen |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by ClusterChuck on Mar 17th, 2007, 10:12am Yup .. Gotta agree with Helen .. (did I just admit she was RIGHT!! OMG!! ) I am SO glad you are now painfree!!! BUT you did not have clusters ... NO physiotherapy ever cured clusters!!! But I AM glad you are PF!!! I hope it keeps up ... Chuck |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by UN solved on Mar 17th, 2007, 1:29pm I'll also agree with Helen. You didn't have CH or ... they'll be back. UNsolved |
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Title: Faulty Hypothalamus Post by Shanthini on Mar 18th, 2007, 10:09pm Hi Helen, thanks for your reply. All I can say is that I hope I dont have CH and it is the neck that is causing symtoms similar to CH. After 12 years of sufferring and not knowing, am going to be positive and pray and continue excercising the neck area and pray that the relief is permanent. Is there a test to find out if the hypothalamus is faulty? Like you said it just might be pure coincidence that it stopped cos of the cycle. The joy of being able to work without the pain always lingering at the back of my head ready to be triggered by "Only GOD knows" is exhilarating. This particular attack period started in April 2006. Well, lets wait and see, I guess! Love SV :) |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by LeLimey on Mar 19th, 2007, 2:33am Shanthini the only absolute definite "tests" are so awful they are considered unethical and are so not employed. The one guaranteed trigger for everyone for CH is nitro-glycerine - it will produce an attack if taken but the pain it induces is so awful (ie a hit) that any doctor employing it wouldn't be one I'd let treat me. The other HAS been done (well actually via nitro to induce the acttack!) Patients have offered to do it to help with research though. Basically it involves having an MRI done whilst in the throes of an attack - so you CANNOT move and you just have to endure without abortives - those were some bloody brave people. It did give definitive proof that there is "overdrive" going on in that part of your head during a hit though which has helped us all. CH is usually diagnosed after having an MRO to rule out other causes, a CH MRI is clear and it is then diagnosed on the basis of your autonomic symptoms and also the length of attacks etc. That is why it requires a diagnosis from a HA specialist neuro as there is quite a significant danger in being prescribed drugs for CH if you have another condition. With some other HA types they could kill you as they could in some cases with other conditions too. It's scary! Anyway, CH or not, I'm really pleased you're pain free! Helen |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by Rosybabe on Mar 19th, 2007, 2:15pm yeap, they did that test to me, only to be sure I did not have anything else going weird in my brain and alsp because I had already endure some hits without any abortives (yeah, It hurts like hell!!)..but coming back to the neck thing, I think I have to agree with Helen, I also had an accident and underwent physioteraphy for my neck and no, nothing stop the cycle for coming back.. :( Sorry, but I am glad you do not have pain anymore :) |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by seasonalboomer on Mar 19th, 2007, 2:24pm drugs are non-invasive ;) |
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Title: Re: Physiotherapy worked for me Post by StressFree on Mar 23rd, 2007, 12:16pm Hi Shanthini, I have to disagree strongly with everyone else stating "you must not have cluster headaches." The electrical stimulation has helped me in conjunction with regular drug treatments. Initially the orthodontist used "TENS" on my effected side of jaw with misdiagnosis of TMJ jaw disorder. I had daily chronic attacks at the time. After TENS treatment, no headaches for several days to a week. They did return everytime though. Went episodic with long remissions after taking Verapamil for a few months. Solution maybe to get your own TENS. They aren't that expensive $100 or so. Available from several manufacturers on the web. I got mine in a yard sale and use it daily until cycle ends. There are many threads on this website regarding using TENS as well as things like electrical implants. Doesn't work for very many of us, but I'm convinced it helps me. Also I went 6 years between cycles last time around. Some would probably say I never had cluster headaches either. Believe me there is no mistaking the "KIP10" type of cluster headaches. Take care, Rich |
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