Cluster Headache

It is defined as the cyclic pain and headache in cyclic patterns. It is the most painful condition It can awake you during sleep or disturb your whole routine. Pain is severe around the one orbit or one side of your head.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms include:

Restlessness
Intense pain around or behind one eye
Swelling around the affected eye
Pale skin
Redness in your eye
Facial sweating
Ptosis of eyelid

Causes

The main mechanism of cluster headache is unknown but it may be occurred due to the abnormalities occur in the biological clock of body which is present in hypothalamus. It does not relate with specific stimulus like migraines and tension headache.

Diagnosis

After taking medical and family history your doctor conducts a physical examination to check the tenderness and swelling around the eyes and side of head. Further tests include:

Neurological examination to check the normal function of brain and any physical abnormality.
Imaging tests like MRI and CT scan to check the detail image of your skull and brain.

Treatment

The aim of treatment is to decrease the severity of pain and reduce the attacks of pain. Treatment options include:

Oxygen for acute relieve
Triptans which is also used to treat migraine will reduce the pain effectively
Local anesthetics
Dihydroergotamine is also available in nasal drop forms will help to reduce the pain.
Prednisone is an effective corticosteroid which help to decrease the pain
Lithium carbonate prevent the cluster headache
Nerve blockage by injecting local anesthetics
Surgery to damage the nerve pathway which convey the pain transmission.

Cluster Headache