Remedy?

[A Way Out]

Hey all, 

 

This is my second post. I've had cluster headaches for about 20 years, but they usually only come at times of high stress. 

I currently think that the headaches are caused by extreme muscular tension in the neck, and I'd like to know whether or not other sufferers have similar tension? 

Do you have a knot in the muscles of your neck, hard as a rock, on the side that you get the cluster headaches? It might be so tense that you can't tell the difference between the muscle and bone, and even if you press on it, it doesn't really hurt. 

 

Please answer if you do, or if you don't, as either case is useful to know more. 

 

If it turns out that cluster headaches are caused by muscular tension, it means there may be a real remedy! Practice at consistent relaxation, massage, exercise, and decrease in stimulants may be enough.

 

Thanks!

[Pebblesthecorgi]

Most find stress to help folks with cluster headaches.  This may be due to higher levels of naturally occurring steroids or even endorphin's.  Some folks report attacks when stress dissipates.  That said muscular responses can be a "chicken or egg phenomena"  The pain and "headbanging"  may result in musculoskeletal changes.  Given the common experience most cluster suffers share (after all it is a diagnosis that is often based on classic symptoms) it is unlikely neck tension which is readily detected by exam has a causative role.  More likely an individual reaction than an instigator.