Hi
I've been meaning to ask this for quite awhile but keep forgetting.

Does anyone get normal headaches as well as CH's? I've read of some with Migraines and CH, and I'm certain there are CH'ers who've had head-pain like sinus infection, ear infection, eye issues, neck pain, ect.

Now the real question, Do those pains and HA's bring on the same type or location of pain as a CH does? I.E Trigeminal nerve pain

I ask because I've only had what I've coined "baby CH's" and Tension HA's. I've recently had a very painful ear infection, that caused my sinuses to be irritated one night also.

All those pains have elements of CH's pain. More specifically Trigeminal nerve pain, I'd assume. Now as understandable as that might sound to a CH'er, I've never met anyone who described to me a similar pain. Yet I don't know that many people I suppose.

I'm just curious if CH'ers get head pain or HA's that doesn't seem to have even slight aspects of CH pain. I'm not talking about triggers, yet those could be pertinent.

While having my ear infection I would wake up at night from serious ear pain. Usually due to laying on the painful ear. Yet a couple times I was confused whether it was a small CH or my ear. Although I could feel my ear pain, I could feel my CH pain also (behind the eye), yet no where near as intense as a real CH. Maybe akin to a shadow, yet hard to tell  with the amount of ear pain going on. I did use some O2 but it didn't do anything to the CH / Trigeminal nerve pain.

I also haven't had a "normal" HA for longer then I can remember, and possibly longer then I've had CH. Yet my memory isn't too hot anymore. lol

I still get "regular" headaches, as well as the CHs. When my CH hit, I get them behind my right eye and up around my ear. But when I get a regular headache, its usually on the left side of my head, closer to the back of my neck. I notice those headaches more when the cycle is coming to an end. But that might just be because when dealing with a full-blown cycle, anything that isn't a CH feels like nothing really.

My CHs are 98% of the time around my right temple with the other 2% around my right eye. When I get migraines they are always right sided centred on my right temple, similarly for ice pick headaches, it's the same location (or as near as I can tell).

The pain level for each is totally different, matching the headache type.

BUMP
what mike nz said Im exactly the same

All of my CH are left side. I get a ton of normal HA as well. I have always been HA prone since i was a teenager.

Now that you mention it though, every HA i get (Sinus, tension, just normal run of the mill HA) flow through my CH zone then spread out to the rest of my head. It feels almost identical to that "pre-CH" i get about 1 minute before the CH starts ramping up, but it never develops into a CH and i just get a normal HA or sinus HA. But the pain does flow through my cluster zones, just not as intense.

I used to HATE my normal HA's, would complain and moan about them...when i feel that pre-CH and it just turns into a normal HA i love it now. I can handle that normal HA pain, it's nothing!!!

I have also had a normal HA turn into a CH, but that is rare. When it does though, i know i'm in for a ride as these are usually Kip8+ ones which seem to last about 2.5 hours instead of my usual 1.75 hours.

*edited to explain a little more

Chris gets headaches ALL THE TIME.  Even when he was in remission.  Sometimes they are triggered by angling his gaze downward.  Like if you are laying in bed and watching TV.  They are sometimes in the same area as CH and some are tension headaches behind both eyes.  However the longer he was in remission, the less he would get the other headaches, too.

I personally don't recall the last time I had a "regular headache."  I've had a "hangover headache" several times from aggressive nights of drinking, but that was many years ago since i've drank that much.

It is read quite often here on this site that many CH'ers get both CH's and migraines; and there is a difference noted.

It is my belief that the trigeminal nerve would link pain for any type of headache.

-Gregg in Las Vegas