People of all races and genders experience them, although they are more prevalent among women. Migraine headaches are extremely painful, and cause a great deal of lost productivity and diminished quality of life. A large number sufferers report missed work and a need for bed rest as a result of their condition. It’s no wonder that pain relief is a multi-million dollar business.

When Drugs Are Shunned

For many, however, drugs are not the treatment of choice. Some folks have allergies, others have concerns about the ethics of big drug companies, while others find that alternative medicine such as acupuncture or herbal remedies are a better choice for them. Fortunately, there are a number of natural remedies for migraine headaches that are extremely effective.

There’s been considerable growth in natural therapies in recent years as the general public has become more accepting of their efficacy, especially when it comes to pain relief.

Aromatherapy is one of the most popular treatments. It uses the scent given off by mixing or warming essential oils and gentle massage. Some common oils used in aroma therapy for headaches are peppermint, sandalwood, eucalyptus and lavender.

Another one way to use aromatherapy to treat a migraine is to add a few drops of lavender oil to warm water. Then make a compress by dipping a soft cloth into the water and apply it to your head or neck. The aroma from the compress will help to relax you and relieve your headache.

Massage and acupressure are also a great natural ways to get ease the pain of a migraine. A trained massage therapist can pinpoint and relax key pressure points that will help ease your discomfort. Most states require massage therapists to be licensed or certified, so make sure you check your therapist’s credentials as a poorly-trained therapist can actually make your condition worse.

Feverfew is an herb that has traditionally been used in the treatment of migraine headaches. In fact, feverfew is one of the most popular alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs for treating headaches. The efficacy of feverfew in the relief of pain caused by migraines has been backed by research. A recent study has shown that a majority of people treated by feverfew report a reduced incidence of migraine headaches.

Magnesium is another head ache treatment that is backed by scientific studies. Magnesium is an essential mineral, and can be found in a variety of foods, including leafy green vegetables and nuts or it can be taken as a dietary supplement. Recent studies show that headache sufferers taking magnesium reported fewer and less severe attacks than a control group.

Migraines often run in families. They can be triggered by a variety of factors including stress, poor diet, hunger, allergens, red wine, cheese, chocolate, menstruation, changes in the weather, inadequate sleep, bright lights, and changes in barometric pressure or lack of exercise.

Acupuncture can be used as a preventative in the treatment of migraines as well as treatment of an acute attack of migraine pain. Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for migraines, decreasing the duration and severity of an attack as well as the frequency of occurrences. The National Institutes of Health recommends acupuncture as a treatment for headaches. Some studies show 90% effectiveness in decreasing the frequency and duration of migraines and a reduction in medication used for the treatment of migraines after a series of acupuncture treatments. An Italian study published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine revealed that patients who received acupuncture experienced fewer migraine episodes, missed fewer days from work, and suffered no side effects compared to the patients using conventional drug therapy.

Think about getting treated with acupuncture for your migraine headaches for lasting relief. As a matter of fact, acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as effective in treating migraines. Then find a licensed acupuncturist that specializes in the Balance Method. This special style of migraine acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points located on the arms and legs. No needles are inserted into the area of pain. Acupuncture point selection varies from person to person based on their traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis. This is determined through a thorough medical history plus Chinese pulse diagnosis. Using this information the acupuncturist is able to develop an acupuncture treatment plan for you, as well as suggestions for herbal or dietary therapies.

At our Minneapolis clinic we use a pain rating system of 0-10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being the highest. I have had patients who have come in with migraines that they rate as high as a #8. Five minutes after I get the needles in, that pain level can often come down to a #2 pain level. Often when the patient leaves our clinic the pain is gone.

This might come as a great surprise to many because very few will automatically think a visit to a chiropractor’s office is the right solution for dealing with a tension headache. Yet, as many will attest, exploring the treatment options made available by chiropractic care may be the best thing to do when dealing with serious migraine headache ailments.

A closer examination of how chiropractic care works quickly reveals that there should not be much surprise to its effectiveness with dealing with migraines. Chiropractic treatment can certainly alleviate the common underlying factors which can cause a migraine headache. For example, muscle tension in the neck region is a common factor that contributes to the presence of a migraine headache. Chiropractic treatment can reduce such tension which, in turn, can reduce the frequency in which migraine headaches occur.

There are scores of other physical ailments which can contribute to migraine headaches. These ailments can include limited mobility in the neck, excess tension in the shoulders or back, or postural misalignments in the spine. Once such problems are effectively addressed, the consistency of dealing with a migraine headache may very well be reduced.

Of course, questions will still arise regarding the safety and effectiveness of this methodology.

Is there any concrete proof that chiropractic treatment is a better option? And how can potential patients be sure that chiropractic care may be better for them than traditional treatments methods?

There has been quite a bit of research and work performed by those seeking to establish the merits of chiropractic care to treat a migraine headache. Recently, a study was performed that included a group of people who suffered from tension headaches. These headache sufferers fell into two groups – those that underwent six weeks of chiropractic care and those that took traditional medication for the same six week period. At the conclusion of the study, both groups of patients had experienced noticeable improvements. However, it was duly noted that the patients who underwent chiropractic care treatment had far fewer side effects. Once the six week treatment concluded, those that underwent chiropractic care did not experience a return of their headache symptoms. Those that had taken traditional medication saw their symptoms return almost immediately.

Synthetic prescription drugs have been the traditional migraine treatment. Doctors prescribe these drugs to their patient in the intent of relieving the pain but not to prevent the migraine episode from coming back.

An increasing number of migraine sufferers are now looking for alternative migraine treatments that contain less harmful chemicals and more on natural ingredients and techniques.

What needs to be done is to not only address the pain of the migraine episode but also help prevent the occurrence of other attacks. By following the three simple steps below, you would be able to control the pain of your migraine and prevent its re-occurrence.

o Prevention – By learning what triggers the occurrence of your migraine you may prevent it from starting by avoiding the activities that cause it.

o Control – If ever a migraine attack starts, you need to be ready to put into action the natural remedies that could stop it or keep the pain at a minimum.

o Treatment – Be on the lookout for all natural migraine treatment that could help you with the pain and prevent its re-occurrence. Find out what natural techniques you can do to prevent migraine attack.

If you put the ideas above into action you would see a great improvement on how well you will handle your next migraine episode. Another thing that you need to know is that no doctor or prescription drug can help you prevent migraines.

Regrettably, if you want immediate relief from migraine you need medical treatment. These drugs are expensive and the side effects on your body are questionable if not fatal. The bright side is that there are a number of natural ways to migraine treatment that can help you with the pain and also provide long lasting relief from migraine.

Finding out what the source of your migraine is can help you get rid of the symptoms and help prevent migraine from coming back. If you follow a highly effective natural migraine treatment technique, your migraine will eventually vanish and you will never have to suffer from the terrible headache again.

Many doctors agree that aromatherapy, if used properly, can be an excellent complementary therapy for the migraine sufferer. Aromatherapy is not known to actually eliminate migraine headaches, but when used to complement traditional therapy and medication it can help reduce the frequency and severity of attacks.

Aromatherapy is a natural healing alternative that uses plant-derived essential oils to achieve a desired therapeutic effect. It is unknown precisely how aromatherapy works, whether it is the scent or a chemical action of the essential oil itself that provides relief. Because of this unknown factor some physicians worry about potential essential oil interactions with standard drugs used in treating migraines.

When trying aromatherapy to relieve migraines, keep in mind a few safety precautions.

* Always talk to a doctor before trying anything new.

* Speak to an experienced aromatherapist, if possible.

* When combining aromatherapy with other medications, be sure to watch for adverse reactions and report them to a doctor immediately if they occur.

* Buy real plant-derived essential oils designed for aromatherapy. The better products will be sold in dark containers and stored away from direct sunlight.

* Use a carrier oil or aromatherapy diffuser. Essential oils can be powerful irritants and should not be applied directly to the skin.

Essential oils can be employed in variety of ways. They can be used in an aromatherapy diffuser and inhaled two or three times daily. The oils may be added to a large bowl of hot water and the aroma inhaled with the eyes closed. While the essential oils can also be added to carrier bath, face, or massage oils and applied to the body or bath, this should only be done after consulting with a knowledgeable aroma therapist.

Those who are afflicted by migraine headaches realize that the pain can become incredibly intense, literally preventing them from carrying out their day-to-day lives. Differing people experience different levels of pain using their migraines – no two are alike.

The signs of a migraine headache can include nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, spotty vision, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, intense throbbing pain in a variety of places on your head, feelings of exhaustion, confusion, being too hot or too cold, having a stiff neck and shoulders, dizziness, or feeling light headed.

Many people also report that movement or being touched increases the pain dramatically. Many people suffer from migraines so frequently they know when one is going to start – prior to it starts. They may experience fatigue, have mood swings, crave certain foods, or they might even experience increased energy that is not ‘normal’ on their behalf.

There are different types of migraine headaches. Classic Migraines are referred to as migraines that are signaled by changes in the way one sees. Feelings of depression, irritability, and restlessness may signal these migraines. Common Migraines usually start slowly and lasting much longer than Classic Migraines. Classic Migraines and Common Migraines are the two most typical types of migraine headaches.

Migraines could be caused by a variety of things, such as excess light, which causes the mind to produce more serotonin than is needed. Certain foods may cause migraines, and this varies from person to person. Unbalanced levels of estrogen are another major cause, and much more women than guys have migraines. Migraine headaches may range from the few hours as much as 72 hours or more.

For some people, over-the-counter pain relievers will help ease the pain of the migraine. For others, stronger prescriptions pain reliever is required. Again, treatment ought to be started at the first manifestation of a migraine in order to cure it faster. Some prescription drugs used to treat severe migraines can be habit forming, so caution should be used.

Other than medication, if you are suffering from the migraine, you need to resign to a dark room that is very quiet and lay down. If touch doesn’t bother you, massaging your temples may help. Ensure that you apply pressure to the temples, and you should keep the eyes closed and put a cool damp cloth or cold compress either over your eyes or on your head – or both.

Migraines could be avoided in a variety of ways. For frequent headaches, medication might be prescribed to help avoid migraines. Wearing sunglasses, especially those created for headache sufferers should also be used in bright light.. If certain foods often cause your migraines, those foods should of course be avoided. It’s also wise to ensure that you get lots of sleep and you avoid stress.

Again, migraine headaches can be very debilitating. Protection against these headaches is important, and those who have had one of these simple kinds of headaches will do everything they are able to caused by prevent another one from developing. Prevention, however, doesn’t always work, so again, make sure you start treating your migraine at the beginning sign that one is coming for faster relief.

Headache is a term used to describe aching or pain occurring in a single or even more areas of the head, face, mouth, or neck. Headache involves the network of nerve fibers within the tissues, muscles, and arteries located in the head and at the base of the skull.

Almost everyone has occasional headaches, particularly when they are sick, tired or otherwise under stress. Headache is the consequence of pain signals brought on by interactions between the brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. During a headache, the pain comes not in the brain. It comes from specific nerves all around the skull, head muscles, and blood vessels that are activated and send pain signals, interpreted through the brain like a headache. The reasons why these nerves are activated aren’t clearly understood. Most headaches disappear on their own or are often given over the counter (OTC) drugs.

Headache types

There are two main categories of headache: primary and secondary.

The major types of primary headaches include:

Tension headache
Cluster headache
Migraine

Primary headaches are not caused by other underlying medical conditions. A lot more than 90% of headaches are primary.

Secondary

Secondary headaches result from other health conditions, for example cerebrovascular disease, head trauma, infection, tumor, and metabolic disorder. These account for less than 10% of headaches. Head pain also can result from syndromes involving the eyes, ears, neck, teeth, or sinuses. In these instances, the underlying condition must be diagnosed and treated. Also, certain kinds of medication produce headache as a side effect.

Many people have occasional headaches that will get better on their own or go away with OTC drug treatment. Most of these people never see a healthcare provider for his or her headaches, however, there are several circumstances in which an assessment by a physician may be useful or important:

Headaches that are getting worse over time
Severe headaches that start suddenly
Headaches that start following a head injury
Headaches that always occur on the same side from the head
Headaches that are not responding to treatment
Severe headaches that interrupt work or the enjoyment of day to day activities
Daily headaches
Aggravated by exertion, coughing, bending, or intercourse

Tension Headache

Tension headaches would be the most typical type of headaches. They affect as much as 75% of headache sufferers. Tension headache is usually episodic but might be chronic, occurring daily or just about every day for more than 15 days a month. This kind of headache is linked with tension in neck and scalp muscles, affecting blood flow within the skull.

Tension headaches often begin in the afternoon or early evening. The pain is usually on both temples, pressing or tightening. Some people get tension headaches in reaction to stressful events. Tension headaches usually do not worsen with physical activity (such as walking or climbing stairs).

Treatment

The occasional tension headache can be alleviated by a hot shower, massage, sleep, and through patient recognition and avoidance of stress factors.

For episodic tension headaches that occur under 3 times per week, OTC pain relievers for example aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are convenient and effective. Combination products of pain medication with caffeine may help many people, but also may be habit-forming. Utilization of any OTC pain reliever should be limited to no more than 2 or 3 days per week. If pain medications are overused, rebound headaches may occur around the days that medications are not taken.

Chronic tension headaches are more hard to treat, because rebound headaches are common when pain relievers are stopped. The most effective medications to treat chronic tension headaches are tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline HCl, doxepin HCl, nortriptyline HCl). However, it’s more effective to prevent these headaches rather than treat them.

Many people can treat their tension headaches without medications. An ice compress, an electric heating pad or a massage to the tight areas within the neck and shoulders can be very helpful. Relaxation techniques, for example breathing exercises or acupuncture, may help to reduce the frequency of headaches.

Cluster Headache

Cluster headaches are relatively rare, affecting about 1% from the population. They are distinct from migraine and tension headaches. Cluster headaches primarily affect men between 20 and 40. Attacks usually occur in a series, or “clusters” of just one – 8 headaches daily over a period of several weeks to months. The pain is extremely severe however the attack is brief, lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours. The pain sensation of cluster headache more often than not occurs on one side of the head. During cluster headaches, the eye on the same side as the pain may become teary or droopy or develop a small pupil. Could also be nasal congestion on the affected side from the face.

About 80% of cluster headaches occur at night, as well as in about 70% of patients, drinking alcohol can trigger a cluster headache. Unlike migraine sufferers, those with cluster headache often feel good when they move during the headache.

Treatment

It is not easy to stop the pain of a cluster headache that is in progress, since the headache usually disappears when the patient reaches the emergency room or doctor’s office. Because the start of cluster headache attacks is rapid and could occur several times each day, a great way to treatment is with daily preventive drugs to decrease the severity and frequency of headaches. Lithium (Carbolith, Duralith, Lithane, Lithobid, Lithonate and others) and verapamil (Isoptin, Calan, Chronovera, Verelan, Novo-Veramil) are the two drugs which are best at completing this task. Other drugs used for this purpose include prednisone (Deltasone, Meticorten, Orasone 1, Winpred and others), cyproheptadine (Periactin) and methysergide (Sansert). Prophylactic medications tend to be begun early during a cycle of cluster headaches and continued for two weeks longer than the usual cycle.

Abortive treatments include inhalation of 100% oxygen. Inhaling 100% oxygen for about Fifteen minutes through a facemask has proven to be helpful when it is done in the first signs of a panic attack. This oxygen must be prescribed by a doctor and obtained via a medical supplier. Other types of drugs which may be effective when used at the outset of cluster pain range from the triptans (Imitrex, Maxalt, Zomig, Axert, Amerge), ergotamine (Cafergot) and indomethacin (Indocin).

Migraine Headache

Migraines are less common than tension headaches. About 6% of all men and 18% of all women experience a migraine at some point. Migraine headache occurs on one or both sides of the head. The pain is typically pulsating or throbbing in nature. Nausea, without or with vomiting, in addition to sensitivity to light and sound often accompany migraines. Migraines are created worse by activity, bright lights and bright noises. Generally, migraine attacks are occasional, or sometimes as frequently as once or twice per week, although not daily. Ladies who have migraines often find their headaches occur or worsen at about the time of their menstrual periods.

One unique feature of migraines is an unusual sensation that a migraine is going to occur. This sensation is known as prodrome. Prodrome symptoms may include fatigue, hunger and nervousness. Not every individuals who get migraines have prodromes.

A feeling is really a complex of neurological symptoms that occur just before or at the start of migraine. A feeling involves a disturbance in vision that may contain brightly colored or blinking lights in a pattern that moves over the field of vision. Most sufferers with migraine have attacks without aura. About 1 in 5 migraine sufferers experiences a feeling.

Treatment

How your migraines are treated will depend on the frequency and harshness of attacks. Those who have a headache many times each year often respond well to nonprescription pain relievers.

There are two types of medications to deal with migraines:

abortive medications – drugs that are taken when a headache starts
preventive medications – drugs that are taken every single day to avoid migraines

Abortive Medications

Migraine-specific abortive medications tend to be necessary for moderate to severe migraines. Whenever possible, an abortive medication ought to be taken immediately after an aura or migraine headache starts. However overusing abortive medications can lead to chronic headaches, that occur day after day without a specific cause or diagnosis. Several prescription and nonprescription medicine is used as abortive medications: aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Apsifen, Motrin, Nuprin along with other brands) or naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn)

Effective agents available by prescription include:

Triptans – sumatriptan (Imitrex), naratriptan (Amerge), zolmitriptan (Zomig) and rizatriptan (Maxalt). Triptan drugs are good at 60% to 65% of patients, completely or significantly relieving migraine pain and associated symptoms within A couple of hours of administration. Triptans reduce inflammation and constrict the arteries. The triptan using the longest good reputation for use is sumatriptan (Imitrex).
Ergots – sublingual ergotamine (Ergomar) and dihydroergotamine (Migranal). Ergots cause constriction of arteries, but ergots often cause more constriction of vessels within the heart and other areas of the body than the triptans, and their effects around the heart are more prolonged than the triptans. Ergots aren’t as safe as the triptans.
Midrin. It is a combination of isometheptene (a blood vessel constrictor), acetaminophen (a pain reliever), and dichloralphenazone (a mild sedative)

Preventive Medications

Preventive medication are prescribed when migraine attacks that do not respond well to abortive medications or adverse reactions to abortive medications occur, migraine attacks occur all too often, complicated migraines. Many drugs are listed as potentially helpful to prevent recurrent migraine attacks. The drugs within the following classes are helpful to prevent recurrent migraine attacks:

Beta-blockers. Propranolol (Inderal) and nadolol (Corgard) have a very good track record of being effective and safe. Metoprolol (Lopressor) and atenolol (Tenormin) are reasonable alternatives. Beta-blockers have been employed for a long time to avoid migraines. It is not known how beta-blockers prevent migraines.
Tricyclic antidepressants. These medications are very effective, but usually have troublesome side effects for example sedation, blurred vision, dry mouth and constipation. The first choice is often amitriptyline (Elavil). Nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil) is also tried.
Anticonvulsants. From the drugs within this class, valproate (Depakote, Epival) has got the best evidence to support using it for prevention. Gabapentin (Neurontin) and topiramate (Topamax) also are effective. It is not known how anticonvulsants try to prevent migraines.
Serotonin antagonists. Methysergide (Sansert) continues to be available for many years and it is very effective. Methysergide prevents migraine headaches by constricting blood vessels and reducing inflammation from the blood vessels. However, this medication has negative effects which are potentially serious and therefore is not widely used.

Rebound Headache

Increasing headache with time with repeated utilization of pain medicines can result in a rebound headache. The headache is usually located on both sides of the head and it is referred to as a pressing or tightening kind of pain. When headache sufferers use an excessive amount of pain medicine, their headaches often recur. This leads to a repeated cycle of taking more medicines but still having headaches. Rebound headache can happen if:

taking analgesics on 15 or more days monthly in excess of A few months
taking opioid or combination medication 10 or even more days monthly in excess of A few months

When analgesics are discontinued, the headache may get worse for several days and it may take as much as 30 days to recuperate from the rebound process. Non-drug approaches, such as biofeedback, relaxation therapy, and exercise, is a good idea in lessening both headache frequency and want for medication.

Headache Triggers

Triggers aren’t direct reasons for the headache, however they facilitate or provoke the start of a panic attack. Something that energizes the pain receptors in the neck and head can cause a headache. A few of the more common triggers for headache:

Emotional triggers: problems at the office, success at the office or school, anticipation, anxiety, a difficult crisis, a brand new job. Emotions may bring on headaches, have them going, and make them worse. Emotions don’t cause your headaches, they simply cause you to more susceptible to them.
Environmental triggers: bright light, different kinds of aromas like perfume, tobacco, odors (such as gasoline), loud noises, altitude, barometric pressure changes.
Stress triggers: strenuous exercise, excessive physical work at the work place or in school, physical sickness, not enough sleep or an excessive amount of sleep
Chemical triggers: alterations in hormone levels (that occur throughout the premenstrual period, throughout the post-menstrual period), low blood sugar.
Food and beverage triggers: caffeine, alcohol (especially dark wine), hard cheese, vinegar, hot dogs, chocolate, nuts, MSG (monosodium glutamate), pizza, pork. Foods containing nitrites as preservatives can also trigger headaches. Fasting or missing meals is really a major headache trigger.
Changes in the weather can alter body chemistry, and also have been known to trigger headaches.
Heavy smoking cigarettes.

o 7 to 8 hours of sleep – preferably at least 1 hour of sleep before midnight

o Exercise–aerobics, calisthenics, power walks, hiking or weight training–at least Twice a week

o Make use of a natural Detox system to cleanse the liver, kidneys, and colon. Buildup of poisons and poor liver functioning can be responsible for headaches because of the body’s wherewithal to eliminate toxins in the diet or the environment.

o Low blood sugar levels can also bring on headaches, particularly if you have skipped a meal. Eliminate all processed sugar and foods with processed sugar or corn syrup. Not only will you eliminate headaches you will slim down and/or avoid putting on weight.

Just about anything can trigger a migraine, there are some things that seem to frequently be the culprit.

Comment Food Migraine Triggers include alcohol, hotdogs, MSG, aspartame, chocolate, citrus fruits, caffeine, nuts, pickled or smoked fish, dairy, onions, beans and greasy food. Even your medication may be triggering your migraines. Nitroglycerine, histamine, diuretics and asthma medications are all possible migraine triggers.

Hormonal changes like those experienced during menstruation, ovulation and if you are taking hormone supplements may also trigger migraines, just like lack of sleep, skipping meals and physical exertion.

Weather changes, air pollution and smoke as well as bright or flickering light may also be the culprit.

To discover what might be triggering your migraines, keep a journal for some weeks. Record any food or drink you consumed for just about any given day and also give a section to notice what the weather was like, and then any other environmental factors you see throughout the day, such as spending time in a room with bright or flickering lights.

After a few weeks or months, you should see patterns emerge. Start avoiding some of the things that you often eat or that tend to happen around time you get your migraines. Obviously you will find triggers for example weather changes that you cannot avoid, but you can start to pay for closer attention to your body around that point and catch a migraine much earlier.

There’s usually no warning sign that the cluster headache is about to start. They start suddenly, and also the pain increases quickly. A person may feel pain and pressure behind one or both eyes, and the eye may even become red and swollen, not to mention watery. The nose may also become red, swollen, and mucous may drain.

Cluster headaches lasts between half an hour to forty-five minutes or even more, but unlike migraines, they are quickly recurring. The sufferer will usually experience cluster headaches round the same time every day for approximately 8 weeks. These periods of headaches may be experienced every few months or so too. This makes cluster headaches very stressful if the sufferer doesn’t expect it. Often, people think there is a serious health condition, while they don’t.

However, for sufferers, cluster headaches really are a serious health problem in themselves. The pain sensation is severe. When one headache ends, they know that another one can come the following day or perhaps in a couple of hours. Many people report as much as six or more headaches on a daily basis of the cluster period.

While tests are not required to diagnose cluster headaches, your doctor may suggest them anyway, simply to rule out other serious health problems. Recurring headaches like these are often the manifestation of neurological problems, and that does need to be ruled out. It is crucial that you tell your physician how often the headaches are occurring, the seriousness of the pain sensation, how long they last, and what duration of your day they start. It’s also wise to discuss that which you did to try to relieve the pain sensation, what’s worked, and what has not. Your physician needs all of this information to better treat you.

Bright light, alterations in sleeping patterns, alcohol, and stress often make cluster headaches worse, and can only actually lengthen the time the headaches will reoccur, and also the severity of the pain sensation. Like migraine headaches, over the counter pain reliever may help reduce pain, however in most cases, you will need prescription strength medication.

Because cluster headaches often start upon waking, many sufferers avoid sleeping. This only serves to create the headaches more intense, and the cluster period to last longer. So, although your instinct would be to avoid the headache by not sleeping, you’re in fact only making it worse. However, you need to avoid sleeping at unusual times. For example, if you don’t normally take afternoon naps, don’t start now – despite the fact that your drained from yet another cluster headache!

Doctors will often prescribe a medication that can help reduce the number of headaches throughout the cluster period, and you’ll be told to take the medication at some point during the day, based on whenever your headaches start. Your doctor may also prescribe an oxygen tank. Breathing in oxygen in large quantities often seems to relive the pain sensation for a lot of sufferers.