Posted by Jerry on October 23, 1998 at 04:44:44:
In Reply to: Re: water cure feedback! posted by Jaime on October 21, 1998 at 14:27:27:
Hi Jaime
No, it can impact positively on all forms of cluster headaches. First, avoid all forms of caffeine (coffee, and most teas, coke, chocolate, etc.)Simultaneously start drinking a large glass of water, preferably on the half hour, during day time, as well as when you wake up at night(do not specially wake yourself, as you need lots of rest). If "on the half hour" does not work, drink water on the hour, but you need about 10 to 12 glasses in a 24 hour period, minimum. Alcohol is a definite NO-NO-NO-NO. Cluster sufferers would agree that 90% of the time alcohol, even in the smallest quantity, does trigger clusters (with a small exception %). Water therapy should be maintained, but you scale it down to 6 to 8 larege glasses per day once your clusters have disappeared. Also talk to your doctor, he/she should help monitor the effect on you of such vast amounts of water in your system. Relief comes within a couple of days.
During a cluster attack, drink extra water as it starts, and move yourself to an area with lots of fresh air. Breath repeatedly(almost hyperventilate)first through the nostril on the same side as the headache for ten plus times, then switch to the other nostril for a while . Do not hold your breath for more than 3 seconds, keep on inhaling. Many of us tend to hold our breath when we pain intensely, but that just depletes the system of oxygin. Keep the heavy breathing until the pain subsides. Preferably stand up when you breathe (to maximise lung capacity) but hold on to something, as the intense breathing may cause you to feel dizzy and disoriented.
It is amazing to what extent the water therapy helps, and it is cheap compared to chemicals!
Keep the water up, even if in the beginning it takes time to get used to.
Why water works, we can only speculate. It is interesting, however, that alcohol dehydrates the body, AND TRIGGERS HEADACHES! So maybe it is not surpising that when the body is fed water, it has the opposite effect. Do not stop drinking much water once the series of clusters has gone. Just downscale as I've said to smaller amounts.
Keep us posted, and pain free times for you, Jamie!