Your Secret Weapon Against Cluster Headaches
While almost all of us has had a headache at one point or another in our lives, most of the time they’re caused by stress or an allergy. Most headaches aren’t really much more than an irritant and are easily tamed with a couple of aspirin and a good night’s sleep.
People who suffer from cluster headaches don’t have the luxury of sleeping off their headaches. That’s because, experts say that this type of headache is one of the most painful experiences that a human being can endure. Women who suffer from cluster headaches say that the pain they feel dwarfs even child birth.
Cluster headaches are thankfully not terribly common. It’s estimated that less than one percent of the U.S. population suffers from cluster headaches, most of them are men.
A cluster headache is given its name because the pain tends to cluster on one side of the head. They are also frequently referred to as “alarm clock headaches,” because they tend to reoccur regularly at around the same time of day. Of those who suffer from cluster headaches, almost 20 percent are plagued with a headache that never remits.
Of those who have recurring cluster headaches, it’s estimated that 10 to 15 percent of cluster headache patients suffer from chronic headaches, in which they experience multiple headaches every single day over a period of years.
Episodic cluster headaches occur in two or more cluster headache periods which can range from a week to a year, with a month or more of remission between bouts. Cluster headache sufferers can find that their condition changes from episodic to recurring or vice versa.
Cluster headaches typically strike without any warning, although some patients say that they experience an aura similar to those suffered by people with migraines. The pain usually reaches the severe level within 15 minutes and produces symptoms like:
- One swollen or droopy eyelid
- Watery eye
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sweating on the face or forehead
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- A feeling of agitation or restlessness
- Extreme pain down one side of the face
Can Chiropractic Care Help?
Chiropractic care is able to provide relief for many headache sufferers, and your chiropractic team may be able to help reduce your pain. While more research is necessary, there have been anecdotal cases of patients finding relief after upper cervical treatment.
No matter what kind of headache is plaguing you, your chiropractic team can help. Between specialized treatments that are tailored to you, your diet and lifestyle, your chiropractor is able to help you in so many ways. If you’re plagued with headaches of any kind, please don’t delay treatment. Safe and natural chiropractic care can provide you with the relief you’re seeking.
Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician for all your health related advice.
