Dubbed ‘suicide headaches,’ cluster headaches strike without warning. Symptoms include pain on one side of the head (usually behind the eye or temple) that occur seasonally, in the spring and late fall.

Dr. B.T. Horton, the researcher who first identified these headaches in 1939, said his patients had to be constantly watched for fear of suicide because the pain is so excruciating.

Steven Meyers, MD, Neurologist with NorthShore, offers the following known facts about cluster headaches:

• Tend to strike young adults and men more often than women
• Put African Americans at more risk than Caucasians
• Can last for days, weeks or longer
• Most often occur at a precise time of day or night, in a regular pattern
• Pain can mysteriously ease almost as quickly as it begins
• May be triggered by changes in daylight in the spring and fall. The cyclical nature suggests a connection to the body’s biological clock.

While there is no cure for cluster headaches, there are treatments that can decrease the severity of pain, shorten the duration and even prevent them. The key is correct diagnosis. Relatively rare, they affect less than 1% of the population and are frequently mistaken for migraines. Be sure to see your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and relief.z

Do you suffer from cyclical, painful headaches? What do you do to relieve headaches?