A Cluster headache which is sometimes nicknamed suicide headache is a neurological disorder which is characterised by recurrent, severe headaches on one side of the head, typically around the eye. This is generally very painful and occur several times a day, they come on unexpectedly which do not last long. Symptoms come on rapidly, generally without any warning, and they may include:
- Intense pain. The pain often starts around the eye, and may then radiate to other parts of the head, including the face, and down to the neck and even the shoulders.
- You feel pain in a temple or cheek.
- The pain remains on one side of the head
- You becomes restless.
- The eye on the side of the pain is watery and tearful
- The eye on the side of the pain reddens
- There may be swelling around the eye on the pain side
- Stuffy, blocked, or runny nose on the pain side
- Pallor – skin of the face is pale
- Face is sometimes sweaty
- Pupil size may shrink
- Eyelid on the pain side may droop.
Although there is no known cure, Cluster headache syndrome can be reduced by lowering the risk of future attacks. Simple tips can help, but anything that improves your posture can help you deal with the problem better. Want to learn more about cluster headache syndrome? Contact us to make an appointment at Complete Chiropractic Dee Why and see if we may be able to help you with your specific case.
Neck pain and associated head pain: persistent neck complaint with subsequent, transient, posterior headache. Sjaastad O, Wang H, Bakketeig LS Acta Neurol Scand. 2006 Dec; 114(6):392-9.
Cervicogenic headache: anatomic basis and pathophysiologic mechanisms. Bogduk N Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2001 Aug; 5(4):382-6.