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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Facial Steamer gives relief
        
(Message started by: HowardS on Feb 19^th, 2002, 6:50am)

Title: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by HowardS on Feb 19^th, 2002, 6:50am

As I write this I'm in the middle of a CH cycle. It's been two years since my last cycle. In the search of looking for something new for relief I found this web site. Also, I've been doing a lot of reading on anything I could find on CH.

One article I recently read said that a Hot Shower would give relief. That sounded too simple but could it work? Since I normal get my CH in the middle of the night and run for some Cafergot I was looking for something that could take effect in a shorter amount of time than the Cafergot. I discussed the hot shower idea with my wife. She came up with an interesting permutation of the hot shower -- a facial steamer. It works!!

This has been the second night that I've tried it. I get the facial steamer going with about 10 minutes worth of water. I breath deeply, inhaling via my nose and exhaling via my mouth. I almost immediately get fast relief. Yes, I also take the Cafergot.

I am a small sample size. I wonder if anyone else has tried this. I just could not see myself jumping into the shower at 3-4 AM - the facial steamer does the trick.

Title: Re: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by Elaine on Feb 19^th, 2002, 9:18am

I have a face steamer but have not tried it. But I will :) A cold shower works better for me than a hot shower. Some reason heat makes it worst for me.
I will be glade when summer comes and I can open the pool. In the summer time when I have a cluster a dive in the cool pool water will stop a cluster dead in its tracks for me.
Glade you found something that works. I will have to try it. I am always looking for new ways to handle a CLUSTER!

Title: Agree with Elaine, Howard
Post by Riccardo on Feb 19^th, 2002, 9:28am

we are ALL DIFFERENT.

In the first 10 years of my clusters, I used (and I needed) HOT air, or steam, just an electric heater...

After ten years COLD COLD and COLD!

In my last cycle I tried a hot shower at the beginning of the bout.... my God... it was the worst attack in my poor life! >:(

Remember, if hot stops working.... try cold
Ciao

Title: Re: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by Georgia on Feb 20^th, 2002, 2:45am

I have many times heard of ch'ers here taking hot showers during an attack. For them, it not only helps the ch but also provides a safe place to hide. I have not heard anyone mention the steamer before, but if it works for you, then YEEHAW and thanks for sharing it so that others may benefit. Personally...I prefer cold.

Title: Re: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by NicholasD on Feb 20^th, 2002, 11:22am

I would keep the steamer and can the Cafergot as it has a nasty side effect of drying out the mucus membranes that makes you need the steamer. Call it rebound if you may. Lots of varying opinions on many of the medication commonly prescribed for clusters, in my own experience, the medications did a lot more overall damage than good. After screwing around for over 20 years on every medication in the book, learned by not taking medications, was episodic rather than chronic.

You could be the same way, or not, only one way to find out.

Title: Re: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by bdenkew on Feb 20^th, 2002, 1:02pm

I've had some success with a facial steamer if the headache isn't too bad and I catch it very early. I've also alternated between the oxygen and facial steamer (about 5 miniutes each) with better luck sometimes than just the oxygen. Especially if my nasal passages are clogged.

Title: Re: Facial Steamer gives relief
Post by HowardS on Feb 20^th, 2002, 5:14pm

There is one thing that is for certain as I read through the replies and other materials on CH, everyone is different and what one uses to get relief is different.

For about 15 years Cafergot was quite effective for me. As the years go by it does not seem to work as well which is why I came to this web site and I am trying different things (facial steamers, etc.)

When the CH awakens me at 3 AM, I go on automatic, running for the Cafergot and now setting up the facial steamer. After reading a lot here I think I may have to try Oxygen but when I travel that will not be a solution.

All I can tell you is that the facial steamer is giving me relief -- fast relief. I guess that's all that matters....