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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> New tip - maybe it will help?
        
(Message started by: jcork on Jan 7^th, 2008, 9:31am)

Title: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by jcork on Jan 7^th, 2008, 9:31am

I have been a lurker here since the first part of November, and I am not a CH'er (my husband is) but a supporter and thought I would let you know a tip that we found helps my husband that I have not seen mentioned.

It goes along the lines of the icepacks but icepacks only seemed to make it worse for my husband. What we found, is that when the beast starts, and O2 doesnt seem to be knocking it down, I get a cold washcloth (out of the tap) - wring it out so it is damp, and put it on the back of his neck, with it wrapping more around the side the headache is on.

The important part seems to be switching them out with fresh cool ones. At the start, I swap them out with a fresh cold cloth about every 30 secs and I can actually feel how warm the one I take off his neck is!! Once the headache starts to come down, I wait about a minute to swap them out, and once he can actually feel the coolness on his neck, I just leave that one on him until the headache is gone.

This has actually helped him when he is very close to taking an imitrex injection ( he waits till the last minute to take these, since the insurance wont pay for many). We have also used this technique at night, when he would wake with one and figured it might be too late for the O2 to work, and found it can still help!!

I hope this might help someone else!!

Title: Re: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by Maffumatt on Jan 7^th, 2008, 1:35pm

A little like the lady in this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GotgWvyv0T4

We love our supporters here, we know it is not easy for you all.

Title: Re: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by Peppermint on Jan 7^th, 2008, 1:52pm

You might want to fill the sink or bowl with cold tap and throw some ice in, it will keep the water really cold and you can keep swapping cloths for the fresh chilled ones out of the ice water.

Hope that's helpful..
Pep

Title: Re: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by Annette on Jan 8^th, 2008, 9:03pm

Check his neck for a cluster ganglion lump which is a small spongy swelling under the skin on the cluster side, its hot and tender to touch during a hit, if he has one, put ice wrapped in a wet towels directly on it as soon as a hit starts, it will reduce the pain a fair bit.

Good luck and thanks for caring. :)

Title: Re: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by Charlotte on Jan 9^th, 2008, 8:46am

we do love our supporters here. Thanks, and nice to meet you, jcork.

Charlotte

Title: Re: New tip - maybe it will help?
Post by thebbz on Jan 9^th, 2008, 10:24pm

Thats right, good supporter. Now when you have two in the freezer, one in the fridge and one in use, you get the big supporter hug.
here's one anyway [smiley=hug.gif]
all the best
thebb