For a small portion of sufferers, cluster headaches can be a debilitating condition that strikes without warning.

Cluster headaches can strike seemingly random intervals, for which the name "cluster" is given. Patients can go years without a single cluster headache, and suddenly suffer them for days or weeks at a time. The exact cause of cluster headaches is not known, although it is thought that stress, alcohol, and drugs are all prompters of the condition.

Even without these factors, however, a series of cluster headaches can befall a patient at any time in their life. A cluster headache is easy to differentiate from a normal headache because of its severity and distinct symptoms.

A sufferer of a cluster headache will often have a runny nose or eyes. The pain tends to focus behind one eye, and is often described as feeling like an icepick. This extremely uncomfortable sensation can become very intense, often times triggering a pain crisis in the patient.

The pain is often intense enough to cause irrational behavior and extreme reactions. Immediate treatment is very important. Sedatives and pain killers should be the first line of defense against cluster headaches.

Cluster headache treatment is a difficult process because of the seemingly random nature of their attacks. Instead of always remaining on medication, cluster headache treatment is usually a matter of lifestyle alteration. Avoiding drugs and alcohol should be a mandatory first step. Although prevention is difficult, cluster headache treatment can reduce the pain of the first attack significantly.

Frequent cluster headaches are a definite sign that a visit to the doctor is in order. Although cluster headaches can occur without any discernable cause, they may sometimes be a sign of a deeper neurological issue. If this is the case, patients should see a doctor as soon as possible. Some forms of stress management can also help to reduce cluster headache occurence.

Although the role of stress in cluster headache treatment cannot be known for certain, it is thought to play a role, and could potentially have an effect on the cluster variety of headaches. Significant emotional stress is known to cause a variety of physiological symptoms, and could play an important role in cluster headaches as well.

Evan