can CH's maintain minimal discomfort between attac

[bigeddie]

can CH's maintain minimal discomfort between attack's? Without going through too much medical history, I suffered an debilitating headache last friday, sunday, and last night. In researching my symptoms, I am very concerned I am experiencing cluster headaches. After my headache last night (mine have been around 6pm and lasting for an hour or two), I woke up this morning with a minor headache, but not around my eye. It is located on the same side but in top to rear of my head (where my headaches progress to after starting out around my eye). It is almost feels like pressure or a nerve throbbing or something. Has any one else experienced this? Or between attacks does all pain or pressure completely subside?

[ThatHurtsMyHead]

bigeddie,

I'd highly recommend having a visit to a qualified doctor for a proper diagnosis.  Many of us have self diagnosed before taking our findings to the doctor for "agreement" . 

I've read of many descriptions of the pain moving to elsewhere on the head like you describe.  Here's a few of the most common symptoms:

1)  Stabbing pain behind the eye or in the temple

2)  Comes at the same time of year / Comes at the same time of day

3)  Is normally on one side of the head and rarely shifts to the other side (but in rare occurrences it can).

4)  Sinus stuffyness during the attack (with sinus drainage right after the attack)

5)  Puffy / droopy eyelid on the side of the head with pain.

6)  Makes one feel like they have to move / rock / bang head on wall / floor etc.  (not lay down and be still like a migraine).

Hope this helps - Please describe your history with the pain?  Others will chime in with information, but the more you can provide will help everyone understand your particular situation.

J

[Fabalicious]

Hey Big Ed! Sorry you had to seek us out.  J is correct in his descriptions of what differentiates a cluster headache from a migraine.  I think some of the main things are the one sided head pain, the inability to lie down, and the sinus stuffiness/ eye drooping on the affected side (my eye would droop so much that my friends all thought i had a "lazy eye").  The "episodes" can last from a day to several years for chronic sufferers, but the "attacks" (the times of SEVERE debilitating pain) last from 1-3 hours and can occur many times a day.  The pain can branch out from the area around the eye to the shoulder, top of the head, even cause agony in the jaw and tooth areas, but is mostly located around the eye and temple of the affected side.  These things suck....big time.  I would also concur with J about seeing a doctor for a diagnosis.  Be careful with the docs though.  Many GPs have never heard of CH, or they do not know enough about them to be of any help.  Go to a headache specialist and tell them that you think you might have clusters.  If you do they should give you an oxygen tank for home (i was skeptical about O2 at first, but it REALLY helps) and start you on a never ending bout of "OK that doesn't work...lets try this".  If you do have actual clusters, stay on the site and keep reading...I know theres a LOT of info on the site, but everyone here knows what you are going through and really knows their stuff. Please keep reading and dont hesitate to ask questions...we are all in your corner! HUGS and Pain Free Wishes! 

[ToniEvo]

Hi there BigEddie and welcome to the site - although it's not good you have to be here, if you are suffering it is THE BEST place to be!!

Just to reiterate the great advice/info above, daily headaches/migraines/CH - are all very different and each individuals 'experience' will differ slightly.  You really do need get advice from a Neuro/headache specialist as well as READ as much info as you can

What have you been using (if anything) to help manage the pain/symptoms?

It is almost feels like pressure or a nerve throbbing or something. Has any one else experienced this? Or between attacks does all pain or pressure completely subside?

I pretty much have a constant pressure in my eye and temple on my left side (which I would describe as part of my 'shadows'  ), this increases to 'manic crazy' pain ...

If you are having CH's then YES you certainly DO NEED O2..as well as other things in your arsenal: Energy shots/drinks, a stock of ice is good too...you can find lots of info on here regarding this

Keep posting and asking questions, you will be helped

Best wishes to you

[RalphLA]

Hey Big Eddie,

As every one is telling you, you should definitely look for a specialist (and maybe more than one, if you feel the first don't know what they're talking about, it happened to me :/).

But about the discomfort between attacks, I do have them while I'm on the crisis. What I mean is, my headaches come once or twice a day, but even when they are not there I can feel a weird sensation on the area of the pain. sometimes it feels as if is was a little bit swollen or numb, sometimes is just a slight pain. It's even hard to describe, it's not a very objective feeling, it's almost as if it was just trying to remind me that it was still there, even though the pain was gone for the moment.

But one thing that got my attention is that you only had three days of pain, so let's hope that we are all wrong and you just had a weird headache, my friend. Just take note of the days, time and duration of your headaches and go see a doctor.

Best wishes!