brain, spinal cord, and nerve disorders
Cluster Headaches
Symptoms of Cluster Headaches
A headache attack almost always starts suddenly. It may begin with nasal congestion and a watery discharge from one nostril. Excruciating pain on the same side of the head follows and spreads around the eye. The pain peaks in intensity within minutes and usually lasts 30 minutes to 1 hour but may last 15 to 180 minutes. The pain often awakens people from sleep. People with cluster headaches, unlike those with a Migraines , cannot lie down. They frequently pace and sometimes bang their head on a wall. After the attack, the eyelid on the same side as the headache may droop, and the pupil often constricts (called Horner Syndrome ). The area below the eye may swell, and the eye may water. The face may be flushed. Nausea may accompany the headaches. Headache attacks may occur several times a day, often at the same time of day or night. They usually occur regularly during a 1- to 3-month (or occasionally longer) period—called a cluster period—which is followed by a headache-free interval of several months, or even years, before attacks begin again. Alcohol may trigger headaches during a cluster period, but not during the headache-free interval. Some people do not have a headache-free interval. They have chronic cluster headaches. 