Hey new here(sory somewhat long post coming), and honestly all of this research is beginning to make my head spin. I've researched both online but a lot of sites say different things regarding the symptoms of each, or sometimes make them sound to similar. So a little background(memory is fuzzy sadly) is when i was around 18 or so I started suffering from these terrible headaches, I did some homework and my symptoms matched the cluster variety closest. I had insurance then and had a doctor visit, don't remember if I even told him much but he ended up putting me on a triptan in pill form IIRC.

Headaches(what I feel are of the CH variety) stopped but have returned now(I am 22 years old). I didn't take them so seriously before and simply took pain meds to try to rid myself of them and lay in a dark room alone until I could function well enough again.

Now though, I am looking into them theorily and even learned about MOH's..and I hope I didn't begin to trigger those as I didn't even knew they existed. Anyway I even took the quiz on this site and it seems im much more likely to have clusters like I thought. I wouldn't question it but reading on here about how many docs may misdiagnose you, and I had 1 episode last around 13 hours I started to question it. I'm applying for insurance tomorrow morning then seeing a doctor asap after, but I figured why not ask people who suffer from them on here?

Heres what my usual is in a nutshell
*usually begins slow but once I feel the uncomfort in my temple, I know whats coming
*left side of the temple always, left nostril gets stuffy,left eye tears up
*laying down can help if im motionless, moving makes the pain worse if I'm laying down, but standing I can walk without a pain increase
*only takes a few mins for the pain to go from mild severe
*on occasion i've felt the pain in the top part of my left cheak, not quite the teeth but do feel a twinge of pain if I bite down
*During some attack I get nauseous, but it may be the over the counter meds I took without eating first
*Usually around the same time every day, but lately my schedule with work and school is so crazy the timing seems to change with me

I usually only get 1 headache a day that lasts anywhere from 1-2hrs. I have gone at most 2 days in a row with no headache since this started approx. 3 weeks ago.

That day where I went from 2:30am to around 3-4pm, I took a couple asprin after the attack lasted more then 2 hours. I didn't eat so it honestly ended up backfiring I think as I think they made me nauseous. This attack was bad, during which I fell asleep twice, not exactly sure how long or what time, I just know it was twice. 

I normally cannot goto sleep with a headache, I woke up both times it was there, but it went away shortly after the 2nd time I woke up. It just made me think maybe I'm having a different type of headache.

Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to provide any details I remember to make things as easy as possible. Any and all advice will be appreciated.

Understandable sir, i'll just be patient for the moment.

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Because this is a far more complex area of medicine than is generally appreciated, IF at all possible, see a headache specialist. There are a good number of disorders which mimic Cluster, some of which are rather serious. Why a good diagnostic work-up is needed.

Second, far too many docs have meager training/experience/skill, espeically with cluster. So a skilled doc is a time saver.

Third, good specialists are often booked up so getting on a waiting list is not a waste of your time.
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LOCATING HEADACHE SPECIALIST

1. Search the OUCH site (button on left) for a list of recommended M.D.s.


2. Yellow Pages phone book: look for "Headache Clinics" in the M.D. section and look under "neurologist" where some docs will list speciality areas of practice.

3.  Call your hospital/medical center. They often have an office to assist in finding a physician. You may have to ask for the social worker/patient advocate.

4. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ; On-line screen to find a physician.

5. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Look for "Physician Finder" search box. They will send a list of M.D.s for your state.I suggest using this source for several reasons: first, we have read several messages from people who, even seeing neurologists, are unhappy with the quality of care and ATTITUDES they have encountered; second, the clinical director of the Jefferson (Philadelphia) Headache Clinic said, in late 1999, that upwards of 40%+ of U.S. doctors have poor training in treating headache and/or hold attitudes about headache ("hysterical female disorder") which block them from sympathetic and effective work with the patient; third, it's necessary to find a doctor who has experience, skill, and a set of attitudes which give hope of success. This is the best method I know of to find such a physician.

6. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or NEW certification program for "Headache Medicine" by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties, an independent, non-profit, professional medical organization.
        Since this is a new program, the initial listing is limited and so it should be checked each time you have an interest in locating a headache doctor.
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In any case, start learning by reading, left buttons, starting with OUCH site. And a couple of resources below:


Cluster headache.
From: Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or (Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases)
[Easy to read; one of the better overview articles I've seen. Suggest printing the full length article--link, line above--if you are serious about keeping a good medical library on the subject.]

Leroux E, Ducros A.

ABSTRACT: Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disease characterized by recurrent short-lasting attacks (15 to 180 minutes) of excruciating unilateral periorbital pain accompanied by ipsilateral autonomic signs (lacrimation, nasal congestion, ptosis, miosis, lid edema, redness of the eye). It affects young adults, predominantly males. Prevalence is estimated at 0.5-1.0/1,000. CH has a circannual and circadian periodicity, attacks being clustered (hence the name) in bouts that can occur during specific months of the year. ALCOHOL IS THE ONLY DIETARY TRIGGER OF CH, STRONG ODORS (MAINLY SOLVENTS AND CIGARETTE SMOKE) AND NAPPING MAY ALSO TRIGGER CH ATTACKS. During bouts, attacks may happen at precise hours, especially during the night. During the attacks, patients tend to be restless. CH may be episodic or chronic, depending on the presence of remission periods. CH IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRIGEMINOVASCULAR ACTIVATION AND NEUROENDOCRINE AND VEGETATIVE DISTURBANCES, HOWEVER, THE PRECISE CAUSATIVE MECHANISMS REMAIN UNKNOWN. Involvement of the hypothalamus (a structure regulating endocrine function and sleep-wake rhythms) has been confirmed, explaining, at least in part, the cyclic aspects of CH. The disease is familial in about 10% of cases. Genetic factors play a role in CH susceptibility, and a causative role has been suggested for the hypocretin receptor gene. Diagnosis is clinical. Differential diagnoses include other primary headache diseases such as migraine, paroxysmal hemicrania and SUNCT syndrome. At present, there is no curative treatment. There are efficient treatments to shorten the painful attacks (acute treatments) and to reduce the number of daily attacks (prophylactic treatments). Acute treatment is based on subcutaneous administration of sumatriptan and high-flow oxygen. Verapamil, lithium, methysergide, prednisone, greater occipital nerve blocks and topiramate may be used for prophylaxis. In refractory cases, deep-brain stimulation of the hypothalamus and greater occipital nerve stimulators have been tried in experimental settings.THE DISEASE COURSE OVER A LIFETIME IS UNPREDICTABLE. Some patients have only one period of attacks, while in others the disease evolves from episodic to chronic form.

PMID: 18651939 [PubMed]
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Three sites which are worth your attention: medical literature, films, plus the expected information
about CH.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
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Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or Search under "cluster headache"
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Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or
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If you have any doubt about the value of seeing a specialist, see:


Link to: cluster-LIKE headache.


Section, "Medications, Treatments, Therapies --> "Important Topics" --> "Cluster-LIKE headache"

Updating your intro information--your location, etc.--didn't work. Look at the name of another person's message and you will see how this ID infor will be presented.