Clusterf---... hm, headaches.
October 3rd 2006 04:09
Medilineplus states that Occasionally, the pain may be severe enough to drive some individuals to attempt suicide.
I can sure believe that.
Many of what I originally identified as migraines are actually cluster headaches. What are cluster headaches, I hear you ask? Well, they are characterised by pain that is WORSE than a migraine. Yep. WORSE.
And you often get them in clusters, which means every few hours, but most usually once. a. day... for. weeks.
By the time you have woken up enough to take medication (and they usually start when you are sleeping) and the medication kicks in, the worst of the headache is over, anyway. And if you are like me, the rebound affects of the medication will give you a low level groggy headpain for a few days afterwards.
So I had a cluster headache Sunday morning. It completely screwed up my long weekend, and came out of nowhere. I know I was under some extra stress onthe weekend, unfortunately unavoidable, but not usually enough to get me a headache. I woke with the sniffly nose, thobbing sharp pain on one side, and the sensation that my eyes were being popped out of their sockets from the inside, all the usual symptoms of a cluster headache.
The most frightening thing about cluster headaches is that there is no way to predict them.
And therefore no way to avoid them.
I can sure believe that.
Many of what I originally identified as migraines are actually cluster headaches. What are cluster headaches, I hear you ask? Well, they are characterised by pain that is WORSE than a migraine. Yep. WORSE.
And you often get them in clusters, which means every few hours, but most usually once. a. day... for. weeks.
By the time you have woken up enough to take medication (and they usually start when you are sleeping) and the medication kicks in, the worst of the headache is over, anyway. And if you are like me, the rebound affects of the medication will give you a low level groggy headpain for a few days afterwards.
So I had a cluster headache Sunday morning. It completely screwed up my long weekend, and came out of nowhere. I know I was under some extra stress onthe weekend, unfortunately unavoidable, but not usually enough to get me a headache. I woke with the sniffly nose, thobbing sharp pain on one side, and the sensation that my eyes were being popped out of their sockets from the inside, all the usual symptoms of a cluster headache.
The most frightening thing about cluster headaches is that there is no way to predict them.
And therefore no way to avoid them.
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Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
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Comment by Julia
The Migraineur
Unscientific Quiz of the Day
The Migraineur
I guess if the headaches were that bad, you'd be past caring.
Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
Seriously, I'm glad you've got this blog up - I don't suffer migranes, but it's good there's something for people who do. It's well overdue.
Comment by Julia
The Migraineur
Unscientific Quiz of the Day
The Migraineur
Thanks for the compliment!