The Horrors of Cluster Headaches

I am not one to discount another’s pain nor do I wish to ever judge someone for it. I am aware that others feel things differently so to compare one to another would be unfair. However, when it comes to one topic, I will definitely put things in perspective which is why when someone says, “I have a headache”, my only response is, “That’s cute”.

Apart from my wife and my doctor, no one knows the hell I go through twice a year with Cluster Headaches. For those that don’t know, Cluster Headaches are short-lived, extremely painful headaches that come in clusters. They are mostly a seasonal thing that comes at the beginning of every Spring and every Winter, and it lasts for about two-three weeks. This fun fortnight comes with 3-4 daily headaches that feel like someone shoved a burning hot fire poker through my right eye which then subsequently lit half of my head on fire. Bundle that with extreme nausea, restlessness, a watery eye, and touch-sensitivity to my skull, it makes for an exciting couple of weeks.

So, what are the causes for this? No one knows. And the treatments? Pretty much nothing. Short of maybe Morphine or Vicodin, there is not a pain killer that can even dull the pain. I have been through the steroid treatment as well, and all that left me with was a lot of acne and a headache that returned the day after they stopped. For now, I have resorted to squeezing my skull as hard as I can and sleeping with an ice back in my pillow; for the record, these don’t really work that well.

If you know someone dealing with Cluster Headaches, which 1 out of 1000 (mostly men) do, don’t be shocked by the tactics they will go through to get through the living hell that is cluster season. More than likely, they are barely falling asleep, not staying asleep, and spend most of their days begging for the pain to stop. While there are many health issues certainly more traumatizing and dangerous, I would suggest not discounting someone that says they deal with Cluster Headaches.