Icepick cluster headaches
Discussion
Any other sufferers here?
I was recently diagnosed with this unpleasant condition. For those who haven't heard of it, imagine someone pressing a nail gun to your head and firing it just over your eye socket so it goes down into the back of your eye. Sometimes the nail is attached to the mains electrics - the pain is sudden, severe, and lasts between a few seconds and up to half a minute. Now imagine this happening between 20 and 40 times a day. And it waking you at night. It is exhausting, debilitating and no fun whatsoever. Treatment so far is 20mg sumatriptan delivered via nasal spray - it's marginally effective at best; normal painkillers won't touch the sides.
I've had a referral to neurology, just in case, as my father had similar symptoms prior to his diagnosis and death from a brain tumour. But that's proving to be a nightmare of bureaucratic red tape and GP incompetence.
Anyway, enough moaning. Just curious to know if anyone else has this and what treatment works for you. I've read about this being connected with the vagus nerve and vagal nerve stimulation sometimes being effective. But what I've read about this all seem highly conjectural with a side-order of woo. Plus the vagal nerve stimulation machines are stupid expensive.
I was recently diagnosed with this unpleasant condition. For those who haven't heard of it, imagine someone pressing a nail gun to your head and firing it just over your eye socket so it goes down into the back of your eye. Sometimes the nail is attached to the mains electrics - the pain is sudden, severe, and lasts between a few seconds and up to half a minute. Now imagine this happening between 20 and 40 times a day. And it waking you at night. It is exhausting, debilitating and no fun whatsoever. Treatment so far is 20mg sumatriptan delivered via nasal spray - it's marginally effective at best; normal painkillers won't touch the sides.
I've had a referral to neurology, just in case, as my father had similar symptoms prior to his diagnosis and death from a brain tumour. But that's proving to be a nightmare of bureaucratic red tape and GP incompetence.
Anyway, enough moaning. Just curious to know if anyone else has this and what treatment works for you. I've read about this being connected with the vagus nerve and vagal nerve stimulation sometimes being effective. But what I've read about this all seem highly conjectural with a side-order of woo. Plus the vagal nerve stimulation machines are stupid expensive.
I remember watching a tv programme a few years ago where a doctor would stay with someone with a problem they couldn’t work out what the cause was.
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
I have suffered with something similar but only occasionally not as much as you have. What I tend to do is run a basin full of cold water and put my face in it as long as I can hold my breath, then I do the same with each side of my head. I don't dry my face or head off, just let it dry naturally, helps I have a shaved head though lol. May sound weird, but it really does help (well it helps me) as a short term measure to get it under control.
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Ladders said:
I remember watching a tv programme a few years ago where a doctor would stay with someone with a problem they couldn’t work out what the cause was.
On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
You're not the only person to mention trapped nerves in my neck. But apart from a lousy posture, there's been no trauma in that area.On the programme there was a woman with similar symptoms to yours. Turns out she had a car accident a few years before and had a trapped nerve or similar iirc, so perhaps it could be something like that??
snoopy25 said:
I have suffered with something similar but only occasionally not as much as you have. What I tend to do is run a basin full of cold water and put my face in it as long as I can hold my breath, then I do the same with each side of my head. I don't dry my face or head off, just let it dry naturally, helps I have a shaved head though lol. May sound weird, but it really does help (well it helps me) as a short term measure to get it under control.
Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
Not sure the near-drowning suggestion appeals Failing that I take two 400mg tablets of cuprafen to assist
I used to suffer from frequent migraines, triggered most by stress and alcohol, but once I got my stupidly high blood pressure under control they mostly went away. But this is a whole new thing, but I think stress is still a major factor in what's triggering them. Dealing with that is not so easy as much of is external and out of my control.
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