10 Quick Tips About Cluster Headaches

Many individuals regularly have headaches known as cluster headaches. These are severe headaches that often feel like they are on one side of the patient’s head or face, often behind one eye.

Following are 10 tips which may aid in understanding and managing cluster headaches. Your doctor or a medical professional should be consulted if you suspect that you may be experiencing cluster headaches or any other form of serious headaches or undiagnosed pain.

Cluster headaches occur in groups, or clusters. Some descriptions of these refer to them as occurring in a cyclical pattern. They often come during the night, exactly at same time, after a certain interval of sleep.

1. Identify the Common Causes

Be aware of the common causes, or triggering factors of cluster headaches. These common trigger factors include high stress, smoking, alcohol use, high altitudes, bright light, exertion, and heat. As these are all pretty commonly encountered things, it is safe to say that an exact cause is not known to the medical or scientific communities. Avoiding these triggers is not a certain way to avoid cluster headaches, just as coming into contact with them does not assure you of getting a cluster headache.

2. Keep a headache journal

A headache journal allows you to keep up with your encounters with common triggers of cluster headaches, any dietary observations after eating foods you experience headache symptoms after eating, and anything that has helped in the past or contributed to a headache in the past.

3. Keep a count of the personal symptoms

Be aware of the various causes of cluster headaches as they exist in your own life, and keep a record of how frequently you encounter them.

4. Take a doctor’s advice

Discuss with your doctor any recommended medications or practices for treating or avoiding cluster headaches

5. Communicate with your doctor frequently

Keep any scheduled doctor’s appointments to be sure that your doctor remains current on your condition and that your communications remain open.

6. Keep track of the triggers

Be sure to avoid any of the trigger factors that you suspect may be associated with your headaches. This will involve your needing to be completely honest with yourself about what you are involved with, what you have eaten, and what you like. Record any information in your headache journal, particularly new things which might impact you.

7. Be ready to try things

Remain open to trying new things or quitting some others as you and your doctor work on an effective treatment for your situation.

8. Plan to take on the pain

Make realistic plans to deal with the potentially disabling pain of these headaches. Making a plan to handle your various obligations so that one of these headaches doesn’t derail your entire life or family is important. These are often chronic in nature, and their return is likely. Be ready to face this situation to make living with it and coping with it more possible.

9. Learn to alleviate the impact

Be aware of any helpful steps you can take to stop one of the episodes or lessen the impact on you whenever possible. Your doctor may be able to help with this.

10. Keep learning the relaxing factors

Be aware of what soothes or relaxes you. Have easy access to these things as coping skills for whenever one of these clusters starts.
Not all of these tips will work for every individual or in every situation, but many will. Having a predisposition to cluster headaches means that you will have to manage your symptoms effectively to obtain the best relief possible. With a little effort, these can be effectively managed to minimize the suffering for the individual involved.