What cluster headache is
The most severe headache. Attacks last 15–180 minutes, strictly one-sided.
Cluster headache strikes one side of the head: into the eye, behind it, at the temple. The pain is so intense people compare it to a red-hot knife in the eye. An attack lasts 15 minutes to 3 hours and can repeat up to 8 times a day.
On the pain side the eye reddens and waters, the nostril blocks, the eyelid droops and the pupil narrows. Lying still is nearly impossible: people pace, rock and press on the eye.
Who gets it
About 1 person in 1,000. More often men, usually starting at 20–40. Smokers are clearly over-represented.
It is not migraine and not “just a headache”. It is a distinct disease with its own treatment, and treatment exists.
Sources
- International Classification of Headache Disorders ICHD-3, section 3.1
- May A. et al., Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 2018