21/03/2025
Cluster Headache is a rare but incredibly disabling Headache Disorder.
It's thought to be one of the most painful conditions that a human can experience, sufferers have been know to hit their heads against the wall to distract from the pain. With migraines, people usually want to be still or they feel worse. With cluster they are usually pacing and agitated, the pain is so bad the movement makes no difference.
Headache attacks are shorter than migraines, but that can make them hard to treat because most medications take time to absorb and work. If you suffer with cluster headaches, you need to get a neurologist who knows how tricky the condition is.
It used to be thought that cluster headaches were 6x more common in men, but in recent years, that's decreased to 3x more common. Many women with it were being misdiagnosed with migraines.
Other than the length of the attack, one of the other defining features are the signs you can see in the face (redness, runny eyes/nose, drooping, blown pupil).
Bouts of attacks are usually cyclical, it's common to wake from sleep with them in the small hours of the morning and the bouts can often happen around the same time each year.
