What is cluster headache?
Cluster headache is a type
of neurological disease, wherein the affected individual experiences severe and
recurrent headaches usually on one side of the head. It is one of the more
severe forms of headache and as the name suggests, cluster headaches take place
in clusters or in a circular pattern.
What causes cluster headache?
The exact cause of cluster
headache is not known. However, abnormalities that occur in the hypothalamus
region of the brain are known to play a major role. Men are more prone to
suffer from cluster headache than women. Individuals with a family history of
this neurological disease are at an increased risk of suffering from the same.
How does cluster headache spread?
Cluster headache is not an
infectious disease and it does not spread from one person to another.
What are the symptoms of cluster headache?
Cluster headache occurs
without any warning signs. During the attack, individuals experience the
following signs and symptoms:
- Pain only on one side of the head
- Restlessness
- Headache usually centers around one eye and may radiate to other parts such as neck, shoulders, face and head
- The eye on the affected side becomes red and swollen
- Face turns pale
- Eyelids droop
- Nasal passage is either stuffy or runny on the affected side
What is treatment of cluster headache?
Cluster headaches cannot be
cured. The goal of the treatment is to reduce the intensity of the pain,
shorten the headache span and decrease the frequency of attacks. Fast acting
medications form the basis of treatment regime as cluster headaches do not give
any warning signals prior to an attack. During the
attacks the following medications and therapies should be adhered to:
- Triptans
- Anti – inflammatory steroid medications
- Dihydroergotamine injections
- Breathing oxygen
In many cases, doctors
prescribe medications for preventing an attack. These include: Calcium channel
blockers, corticosteroids, lithium carbonate, ergots, melatonin and injecting
steroids and anesthetic.
How can cluster headache be prevented?
The very first attack of
cluster headache cannot be prevented. However, making necessary changes in your
habits can certainly help prevent future attacks. Those in the habit of smoking
and drinking alcohol should make conscious efforts to refrain from these. Such
change in habits along with preventive medications can go a long way in
prevention of cluster headaches.
What are the diet and lifestyle changes in cluster
headache?
Making certain changes in
lifestyle pattern help avoid an attack of cluster headache. Some of the
strategies include:
- Avoiding alcohol
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule, as cluster headache can crop up from an irregular sleep pattern too
What is Ayurvedic treatment for cluster headache?
The science of Ayurveda has
some wonder herbs that have proven to be beneficial for treating cluster
headache.
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