Cluster headaches affect approximately one in one thousand people and are among the most painful types of headaches.

cluster headache

Sufferers of chronic cluster headaches have been known to have nine or more headaches in a day. The pain is located around the eye socket and temple and is so severe that the condition is considered a neurological disease since many chronic cluster headache sufferers eventually kill themselves.

The exact causes of cluster headaches are not known and therapies vary according to the patient. Over the counter medications often prove ineffectual so many cluster headache sufferers take any number of medications including ranging from inhaling pure oxygen, to taking beta-blockers and anti-depressants. Some more traditional methods that have worked include inhaling pure oxygen, caffeine, exercise, taking hot showers, and even sex.

Relieving Cluster Headaches

Many chronic migraine headache sufferers find that the only way to relieve their pain is through the use of prescription drugs. Many of these drugs, especially triptans, are very expensive and may not be fully covered by some insurance companies. For those without insurance or for those ineligible for medicare, the costs of these drugs can be prohibitive. There are options available that can substantially reduce the burden of medication expenses.


Patient Assistance Programs Patient assistance programs can assist in getting prescription drugs to the patients that need them most. These programs are established by the pharmaceutical companies to help patients and doctors obtain free or low cost medications. Ask your physician about the type of assistance that is available. Programs can be different depending on the brand of medication that you are prescribed.

Generic Medications Another option is to ask your physician if a generic version of your medication is available. Often you can save 50% or more by purchasing a generic from a large retailer such as Wal-Mart. Be careful, not all generics are equal in dosage or strength. Be sure to take the advice of your doctor.

Free Samples This option is often overlooked by many patients. Doctors are constantly visited by pharmaceutical reps and usually have samples on hand of many popular or new medications. Do not fell ashamed to ask if any free samples are available.

By taking advantage of these programs you can substantially reduce the cost of your prescription medication.

Paying for Prescription Migraine Drugs

Migraines are the number one side effect reported by women who use oral contraception. This is generally attributed to the fluctuation of estrogen levels in the body and occurs most frequently in women that are using combination estrogen-progestin pills. Although 20% of women who use contraceptives report migraine headaches, it can be difficult to diagnose the exact cause since women are more prone to migraine headaches and tend to fall into multiple risk profiles.

A study by the http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16150254 concluded that headaches that occur in the early cycles of contraceptive use tend to improve or disappear with continued use. The study also suggests that manipulating the extent or duration of estrogen withdrawal may provide some benefit as well.

If you believe that your migraine headaches are a side effect of oral contraceptives, then it is important that you consult with your physician to make sure that all of the risk factors are considered. You should also let your doctor know if you have a history of migraines prior to using any type of oral contraceptive. Many women who suffer from severe migraine headaches use not estrogen based forms of contraception.

Migraine Headaches Caused by Oral Contraceptives

After a very will received review of the neti pot and it’s effectiveness as a treatment for chronic sinusitis, or sinus infections, I thought that I would revisit the subject with some additional pointers on correct usage. It seems that a fairly large percentage of people who try the neti pot do not continue using it. This is really too bad, because they could be missing out on an inexpensive treatment that could alleviate their sinus headaches. I personally have saved approximately $100 this winter that would have been spent on various sinus medications.

As I stated in my earlier article, it takes a week or two to get used to the act of pouring water through your sinus cavity. Here are a few additional tips on using the neti pot that will help you through the first few tries:

• Water temperature – This is the most important element in comfortable usage of the neti pot. The water should be as close to body temperature as possible. If it is too cold, you will feel as if you are about to drown and if it is too hot then you will feel a burning sensation. Most neti pots are microwave safe, so try microwaving at 10 – 15 seconds until the water feels luke warm to the the touch.

• Saline Packets - I personally only use saline packages specifically designed for nasal irrigation. These have special buffering agents that adjust the PH levels to make the solution more comfortable.

• Saline Solution – In the beginning it is not necessary to use an entire packet of saline. You want to acclimate yourself to this new technique, so try using 1/4 – 1/2 of a packet in the beginning. Many recommend using an entire neti pot of solution for each nostril, but this is definitely overkill for the beginner. Begin by using half of a neti pot for each sinus cavity.

Remember, the best results are achieved through regular usage over time. If you are still having trouble, here is a video demonstrating the proper technique.

Neti Pot Instructions

Cluster headaches are considered one of the most painful of headaches. They strike fast and with little warning reaching peak intensity faster than any other type of headache. Those who suffer from cluster headaches experience intense pain that is often described as sharp, piercing, and burning.

The International Headache Society classifies cluster headaches into two different types; episodic and chronic. Episodic cluster headaches usually occur daily for a period of time followed by a period of remission. Chronic headaches also occur daily but there is no period of remission. As many as 20% of people with cluster headaches suffer from this type.

The onset of pain from a cluster headache occurs almost immediately and can subside in minutes. As a result, typical medications such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin have little or no effect. The headache symptoms have disappeared before the drugs have time to work. This is why sufferers of cluster headaches often resort to acute medications that are more potent and act much faster than over the counter medications.

Acute treatments for cluster headaches include the following:

• Oxygen- Effective though not very practical. Most who suffer from cluster headaches experience relief at the onset of a headache when breathing pure oxygen for a period of up to 15 minutes. Since it is impractical to carry a supply of oxygen everywhere, this treatment is limited even though there are no adverse side effects associated with its use.
• Sumatriptan – Part of the triptan class of drugs, was usually prescribed in injection form but is now widely used in pill form as well. Can relieve a migraine or cluster headache within 15 minutes for most. There is a long list of possible side effects for the injection and pill forms. When used as a nasal spray these side effects are not present. Not recommended for those with heart conditions or hypertension.
• Intranasal Dihydroergotamine – Typically used intranasaly in small doses. Effective as an abortive for many, this treatment has little or no side effects. Also used intravenously under direct physician supervision.
• Octreotide – Previously used as a treatment for diarrhea, this drug has been used intravenously to treat both cluster and migraine headaches. Since it is a safer alternative for people with heart conditions, it is being prescribed more frequently.

All of the acute headache treatments mentioned in this article are to be used only with the direct consent of a physician.

Acute Treatments for Cluster Headaches

Like its cousins, Cialis and Viagra, Levitra can cause side effects in a small percentage of users. These side effects include nausea, muscle pain, and headaches. Headaches are the most common side effect of erectile dysfunction drugs including Levitra and generic Levitra, with some studies showing as many as 15% of users reporting mild headaches.

If you experience a headache as a result of Levitra, here are a few things you can do:

• If you are drinking alcohol, then stop. Excessive consumption of alcohol while taking Levitra can result in a severe headache.
• Be sure not to take any medications while on Levitra without first consulting your physician.
• Lower your dosage. Many Levitra headaches are dose related and can be alleviated by lowering your dosage. Typically, the higher the dose, the greater the chance of a headache.

If none of the above apply then it is possible that your headache may not be related to taking Levitra at all. If the headaches are persistent and occur frequently while taking Levitra, then you should let you physician know.

Relieving Headaches Caused by Levitra

If you suffer from severe migraine headaches and are currently enrolled to receive Medicare benefits, then you may be eligible to receive coverage that will pay for many of the most powerful prescription drugs on the market. The drugs most widely prescribed for the treatment or of chronic headaches are known as Triptans.

Triptans are medications used to reduce the symptoms or abort the onset of a migraine headache. Since their introduction in the 1990′s, triptans have been an effective treatment for millions of migraine sufferers. Unfortunately, many are still only available as name brands and are thus very expensive. Luckily, Medicare does provide limited coverage for those that qualify.

Under the current Medicare drug plan, the following Triptans are covered. Note that you may have to meet certain pre certification criteria and there will most likely be some quantity limits.

• Amerge® (naratriptan)
• Imitrex® (sumatriptan inj, nasal spray and tablets)
• Maxalt®, Maxalt MLT® (rizatriptan)
• Relpax® (eletriptan)
• Axert® (almotriptan)
• Frova® (Frova)
• Zomig®, Zomig ZMT® (zolmitriptan)

All of these drugs are available only with a prescription and require close medical supervision.

Headache Treatments Covered by Medicare

People of all ages have experienced headaches at one point in their lives. This makes it a very common grievance among all. There are actually two classifications of headaches, one being the most frequent type of headaches which is caused by several common factors; and the other being a symptom of a more complex disease or illness. The causes of headaches vary from person to person but the most underlying causes are stress, emotional and substance factors.
There are several ways to relieve this head cracking pain that we feel- either naturally or through taking medicines. Most people, especially those who have developed migraines over time, are already self-medicating themselves for a number of years. However, these chemical substances always have their corresponding side-effects, usually adverse ones.

The continuous intake of these medicines may cause tachyphylaxis wherein the drug becomes tolerated within the body which leads to lesser pain relief action in the part of the individual. With these reasons, treating headaches the natural way is a good alternative which yields the same results- that is to relieve your headache.
One alternative method of treating your headache is by applying hot compress. Heat helps in relaxing our muscles and causes them to loosen up a little, thereby alleviating the tension which in turn could lessen, if not remove the pain that we feel. Furthermore, if you want to loosen up your whole body, taking a hot bath may be a good option.
In some cases, dehydration causes headaches. You may not know that you are already inches away from dehydration just until you feel that throbbing head pain. Drinking enough water can help lessen the pain that you feel. As a habit, drinking eight to ten glasses of water is necessary to maintain the right amount of body fluid. This will avoid the adverse effects of dehydration where headache is just symptom.
Massaging your head especially on the part where you feel the most pain is also a good way of treating your headache naturally. The massaging action actually helps relax and soothes your head by lessening the tension. In order to avoid tension from building up, it is a good practice to maintain a good posture too. Avoid slouching and always carry your whole body weight in a straight manner.
Headaches are very annoying and we have to avoid it in the best way we can. It will hamper us from doing our daily routines and tasks. There are hundreds of over-the-counter medicines that can take away headaches. But the chemical free and physical methods are still the best way of treating ourselves naturally.

Relieve Your Headache Naturally

Many of us will be waking up this New Years morning with a whopper of a headache. Although I usually discuss ways of treating chronic headaches, I thought it would be appropriate to give a few tips on how to relieve the hangover headache.

Hangovers are the result of drinking to much or to fast, or a combination of both. Basically, your body just cannot keep up with the amount of toxins that you are ingesting. The result is that about 8 hours later your body starts experiencing a mild toxic shock resulting in one beauty of a headache.

So, you are up and awake, you have a splitting headache, and your shift starts in 4 hours. What can you do?

1. Your body is dehydrated, so start hydrating and continue this through out the day. You should drink as much water as you can, preferably a half gallon every 1-2 hours. This will restore your fluids and help you flush your system.
2. Avoid the temptation to drink a pot of coffee as soon as you are up. Caffeine is a diuretic, just like alcohol, and will only prolong your bodies recovery.
3. Bloody Mary’s, V8 Juice, etc. Tomato based hangover remedies do actually work. They can aid in the restoration of amino acids, carbohydrates, and Vitamin C. A tall glass of one of these drinks is more than sufficient, then it’s back to drinking water.
4. Take a good multi-vitamin. Your body uses up a variety of vitamins in digesting all of that poison, especially vitamins B and C.
5. Avoid Tylenol. Acetaminophen has been known to cause liver damage when mixed with alcohol. Take Ibuprofen instead.
6. Avoid the temptation to take a little hair-of-the-dog. Consuming more alcohol will only delay the inevitable and the symptoms will be even worse the second time around.
7. Get some rest. If you can, try to get as much rest as possible. Most hangover headaches will subside after your fluids have been replenished and you have had a nice long sleep. Follow the above steps and go back to bed. Hopefully you planned ahead and do not have to deal with work today.

Hopefully these tips will help some of my fellow revelers. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to finish this bottle of water and go back to bed.

Tips to Relieve Your Hangover Headache

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that is produced by the pineal gland inside of the brain. There is increasing evidence that melatonin levels are related to migraine and cluster headaches. Synthetic melatonin is commonly used by people with sleeping disorders, such as insomnia, to help regulate their sleep cycles. Studies are currently under way to evaluate the efficacy of melatonin in the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches.

Although more research is required, early results are promising. In a study published in the August 2004 issue of Neurology, participants took just 3 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime for a period of 3 months. At the end of the study, 78% of participants reported a 50% decrease in headache frequency and 25% of participants reported no headaches at all during the study period.

If you are a migraine sufferer, then this may be an alternative therapy that is worth considering. Even though melatonin is available over the counter, you should always consult your doctor before beginning any new treatment.

Melatonin and Migraine Headaches