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        Supporter's Corner >> Supporter's Corner >> How to explain Cluster Headaches to LayPeeps
        
(Message started by: Margi on Mar 5^th, 2002, 10:27am)

Title: How to explain Cluster Headaches to LayPeeps
Post by Margi on Mar 5^th, 2002, 10:27am

For years, I've tried to explain my husband's headaches to folks who haven't a clue. It's never an easy task to convince them that these babies just won't go away by taking an aspirin and laying down in a dark room. I get so tired of people rolling their eyes at the thought of 'just another headache'. Or when folks say 'oh, my Aunt Nellie used to get migraines. She cured it by going to the chiropractor (or some other such miracle).' [no offense to chiropractors - just an example!]

I was reading Ted's post this morning, in response to one by Daniel in which the comparison of clusters and migraines was brought up. Ted has put it possibly the best way I've ever seen it written. Here's what he said, Reader's Digest version:

"A migraine is heavy pain all in 1-3 days. A cluster is all that pain in 1-4 hours. We laugh at migraines as if they are nothing. 1-3 days of significant pain is not nothing. So, we get it heavier. We also get it shorter. A cluster is all the pain of a 3 day migraine all put into an hour."

That's how I explain it too. Mike's headaches are like the pain of a 2-day migraine, instensified and condensed into an hour. Most often, the reaction is 'Oh my God, the poor guy!' Yep. THAT's the reaction I look for, so I know they've understood.

Sometimes, in order to further the awareness of this disease we all deal with, we have to relay it in terms the general public will understand. I mean, we all know that clusters are different than migraines, but if we use migraines as a reference point and springboard, most folks can relate to it.

Excellent job of explaining it, Ted!

Title: Re: How to explain Cluster Headaches to LayPeeps
Post by Ted on Mar 6^th, 2002, 12:50am

on 03/05/02 at 10:27:16, Margi wrote:

Excellent job of explaining it, Ted!

You've got balls. :-)