Everything to Know about Cluster Headache: Causes, Symptoms, Triggers, and Possible Treatments

A cluster headache is one of the most painful types of headaches. It generally occurs in cluster periods, also known as cyclical patterns, and lasts for a few weeks to months. This type of headache can lead to intense pain in and around one eye on one side of your head.

While cluster headaches are rare and not life-threatening, the pain can be severe and lead to utter discomfort and irritability. Fortunately, certain treatments can give you relief and make the symptoms less severe. Medications can also help alleviate the symptoms.

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What Are the Characteristics of Cluster Headaches?

This type of headache generally lasts for weeks and months and can occur seasonally, such as every winter or every spring.

In most cases, people have episodic headaches, during which the pain occurs for one week to a year, followed by a few pain-free months, before another episode of cluster starts developing.

During episodic pain, headaches might occur almost every day and, sometimes, several times a day. Most headaches occur at night, about two hours after you go to bed, and can last from 15 minutes to a few hours.

This type of headache lasts for weeks and months. (Photo via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

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Causes of Cluster Headaches

The exact cause of cluster headaches is unknown and medical experts are yet to learn more about it. All they know is that this type of headache is a trigeminal autonomic cephalgia, which involves the hypothalamus – a brain structure of the autonomic nervous system.

Several things can trigger a cluster headache, including:

• smoking and drinking alcohol
• bright light
• strong smells
• heat
• change in climate
• exertion
• Nitrate-containing foods, such as meat and bacon

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Common Symptoms

This type of headache usually occurs quickly, without any warning. However, you may notice the following:

• migraine-like nausea
• a smaller pupil
• a mild burning feeling
• a swollen eye
• eye redness and watering
• warm, red face
• excessive sweating
• congested and runny nose
• sensitivity to light
• agitation and irritability

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Treatment of Cluster Headache

These types of headaches are not life-threatening, but they can interfere with your daily activities and affect your quality of life.

There are numerous treatment options when it comes to relieving this type of pain, and some major treatments include:

1. Optical nerve block

Optical nerve blocks, also called occipital nerve injections, are a mix of anesthetic and steroids. Your doctor might prescribe it as a temporary treatment.

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2. Medications

Triptans are among the most effective ways to treat pain. This drug is available as sumatriptan and zolmitriptan (Zomig). Sumatriptan can be used as a shot or nasal spray. Other medicines include dihydroergotamine, octreotide, and lidocaine.

Your healthcare provider can also prescribe other medications to make cluster attacks less severe. These include divalproez sodium (Depakote), corticosteroids, gabapentin, galcanezumab, lithium carbonate, ergotamine tartrate, and topiramate.

Certain medications can ease the pain. (Photo via Pexels/Anna Shvets)

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3. Oxygen therapy

This therapy involves breathing pure oxygen through a face mask. Oxygen therapy relieves cluster pain within 15 to 30 minutes.

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4. Surgery

Surgery may be an effective option for people who don’t get relief from other treatments.

Some alternative therapies might also provide cluster headache pain relief. These include physiotherapy, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation.

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At-home Treatment Options

Cluster headache treatment at home mainly includes changing certain lifestyle habits, including:

• Limiting or completely avoiding alcohol and smoking as these can trigger severe headaches when you are in cluster series.
• Following a regular sleep schedule and getting at least 8 hours of sleep every day. A change in your sleep pattern can trigger a headache.

Following these habits can potentially help you avoid and manage cluster headaches in a much more efficient way.

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When to Consult a Doctor?

See a doctor if your headaches feel different or if their pattern changes. It is also important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience an abrupt headache accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, a stiff neck, seizures, mental confusion, and speaking difficulties.

Additionally, if you have a headache that worsens or changes pattern over days, it is best to consult a doctor.