I had a sphenopalantine ganglion block and it has done wonders for the pain.  I am well aware that it could only last a short while. Now that I have very little pain (2-3), I am finding myself focusing on my other symptoms which have not gone away.   Mainly, my Horner's symptoms are still very much presenting themselves, with my my right eyelid at half mast and asymmetrical pupils. I start wondering what is causing all this crap.  Anyone else?

Headache:lessons learned from functional imaging
British Medical Bulletin 2003; 65: 223-234

Arne May
Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

Using PET in a larger patient series, significant activations ascribable to the acute cluster headache were observed in the ipsilateral hypothalamic grey matter when compared to the headache-free state44. This highly significant activation was not seen in cluster headache patients out of the bout when compared to the patients experiencing an acute cluster headache attack45. In contrast to migraine25, no brainstem activation was found during the acute attack compared to the resting state. This is remarkable, as migraine and cluster headache are often discussed as related disorders and identical specific compounds, such as ergotamine and sumatriptan, are currently used in the acute treatment of both types of headache46. These data suggest that while primary headaches such as migraine and cluster headache may share a common pain pathway, the trigeminovascular innervation, the underlying pathogenesis differs significantly as might be inferred from the different patterns of presentation and responses to preventative agents46.
Just as it is striking that no brainstem activation occurs in contrast to acute migraine, no hypothalamic activation was seen in experimental pain induced by capsaicin injection into the forehead47. This is important because injection of the forehead would activate first (ophthalmic) division afferents which are the trigeminal division predominantly responsible for pain activation in cluster headache. Thus two other types of first division of trigeminal nerve pain, while sharing neuro-anatomical pathways with cluster headache, do not give rise to


VASCULAR HEADACHE: ARE BLOOD VESSELS INVOLVED?

Taking these observations on acute cluster headache together with what has been observed in experimental head-pain and migraine, the data establish that migraine and CLUSTER HEADACHE, FAR FROM BEING PRIMARILY VASCULAR DISORDERS, ARE CONDITIONS WHOSE GENESIS IS TO BE FOUND IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM IN PACEMAKER OR CIRCADIAN REGIONS SPECIFIC TO THE SYNDROME. If further studies confirm these findings, a better understanding will be gained of where and how acute and preventative therapy can be targeted.

Thanks Bob.  I cannot begin to explain the sensation of a CH without the majority of the pain.  While not nearly as bad, it is still distressing.

Willly wrote on Jul 26^th, 2013 at 6:58pm:

Thanks Bob.  I cannot begin to explain the sensation of a CH without the majority of the pain.  While not nearly as bad, it is still distressing.

I've experienced a few migraine equivelents where I get all the symptoms but no pain. It really feels pretty weird when it happens. Just treat it as if it is the version with pain, so use your usual abortives to kill it off.

I just started the D3 regiment.  Also, my pain doc is going to do another sphenopalantine ganglion block on Friday, and our plan is to keep hitting the nerve for a while.  We'll see what happens... When it's gotten real bad, my doc prescribed dilaudid 4 mgs.  They scared the hell out of me because they really helped with the pain.  I haven't had to touch even half a pill in the last two weeks.

anybody else try this  ?


ok i just tried to post a link from youtube for
Sphenopalatine Ganglion Block (there is a video of a place in arizona that does this), but i havnt posted 10 posts here so it wouldnt let me do it,, you can find it yourselves on youtube. I would love to hear from more here that may have had this done ? thanks all

I don't expect any miracles, and I know that this is one more very dull knife attacking a very keen monster.  For me, it's working for the moment.  More-so, it really is disconcerting to have all of my Horner's symptoms but very little pain. I could be one of the few it works for. I did attach a picture.  :-[ Finally, from what I have read, this has failed for most so I am not advocating this, especially after you see my pic!

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Holy smokes that looks uncomfortable! Not as uncomfortable as a kip 9, but not pleasant. Hope it works and I hope the rest of the shadows subside, too.