I don't know if what i get is cluster headaches.  at least once every two months i get a severe headache on one side with intensely severe pain in my eye, (feels like something is pressing my eyeball), along my cheek bone and into the back of my neck. most times the nostril on the same side is stuffed and this usually last three days.  the only time i get relief is when i sleep.  does this sound like a cluster headache or regular migraine.  i have had severe headaches since i was a child but not only involving one side.  anyone have any advice.

Take the cluster quiz on the left. Let us know how you did.
welcome and hope you dont have CH.
thebb

If you can sleep them off, they're not CH.

Hoping Bob Johnson will weigh in here.  CH can present atypically at first, only settling into well-established symptoms and cycles as time goes on.  Not saying whether or not you have CH, but it's best to know for sure.

If these headaches are new to you, I'd encourage you to discuss them with your doctor.  There are many different headache types, and there is no substitute for a firm diagnosis and an appropriate treatment regimen.

Sorry to hear you're getting beaten up.  Let us know what you find out, eh?

Best wishes,

George

I just took the cluster quiz and it doesn't seem like that's what i have although i have very severe pain in my eye.  it seems more like these are migraines which may be related to my neck muscles.  thanks for your advice.

christine wrote on Aug 28^th, 2008 at 10:52am:

I just took the cluster quiz and it doesn't seem like that's what i have...

That's fabulous news, Christine, but as others have already suggested it might be good to talk it over with a doctor.

Let us know if we can help in any way,

Brian.

From your description, especially going to sleep to get relief, I would say you, luckily, do not have clusters, as you decided, and others have said.

PLEASE talk to a headache specialist, to try to find out what you DO have.  Whatever type you have, I TRULY hope you get relief!  We all know that headaches really suck and can raise havoc with your life.

Good luck!

Chuck

Do see a headache specialist as advised but 2 pieces of good news:

1 It probably isn't CH

2 The same advice about abortives for CH, in my experience also work for migraine, I get both so I know (prevents are VERY different though)

i.e.

- 02 works for most migraine too if you can get it (probably not as it is hard for CH'ers to get it, even harder for migraine sufferers)

- Triptans are much more effective than OTC painkillers which can actually give you a headache.

- Fast delivery methods for Triptans apply as much to migraine pain as it does for CH, why should anyone suffer pain longer than necessary?
The nasal spray Zomig is fantastic for migraine and MUCH faster then the pills you will probably be given because they are cheaper.

If you do get diagnosed as a migraine sufferer- don't make do with painkillers, and don't make do with triptan pills, you can do mcuh better than this, just insist.

W the B

It does sound like migrains to me i suffer from both but migrains are far and few between

Migrains are also very painful and you do need reliefe so the above advice is very usful. your migrains do sound like they are episodic though you may have cluster migrains from what i have read they are migrains but they come in episodes just like CH i dont know if this is real but i remeber reading it on here befor. anyhow hope this helps a little