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How To Treat Cluster Headaches?

My husband suffers from Cluster headaches he has been prescribed Imigran but they do not seem to be very sucessful for him, is there any over the counter medicines suitable for this complaint. The pains start at about midnight and then come back more or less every hour until he gets up, he is headache free during the day.
Fri, 5 Sep 2014
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Diabetologist 's  Response
Hi, welcome to our site. I am Dr Saumya Mittal, MD.

Read your query. That is a very significant question and i appreciate your problem. I will try my best to answer your query

The best treatment ever for cluster headache is inhalation of 100% oxygen. This is the best treatment that gives the fastest relief in patients of cluster headache. Inhalation of this 100% oxygen can cure the episode within 5-15 minutes.

Of course this is not very suitable for everyone.
Many medicines are available for treatment of cluster headache attack after it has happened. These include the triptan group and the ergot alkaloids. These include drugs like sumatriptan, zolmitriptan (triptan group) and ergotamine. These medicines may not be as effective as oxygen, but are more practical. they are best taken within 5 minutes if onset of the attack

here are other medicines that are meant to reduce the frequency of headache. These include calcium channel blockers and anticonvulsants. However these medicines can have serious effects.

I will suggest a short stint in the hospital for the eradication of the attack, and initiation of the chronic preventive therapy so that the frequency can be reduced.

I hope this helps you. Inform the reports mentioned above/if any other so I can be of help further.

I have given you the answer to the maximum considering the information provided. The results of the tests could further enhance my answer to you.

Please do understand that some details could be extracted from a detailed history and examination.

Please feel free to ask another query. I would be glad to help you. Looking forward to your return query with the details asked so that I can help you further.
(If the answer has helped you, please indicate this)
Best of luck.
Dr Mittal.
MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine), CC (Diabetes Mellitus), DNB (Neurology)
Consultant Physician and Diabetologist
JS Hospital
Ex Apollo Hospital, Delhi
Ex Kailash Hospital, Noida
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How To Treat Cluster Headaches?

Hi, welcome to our site. I am Dr Saumya Mittal, MD. Read your query. That is a very significant question and i appreciate your problem. I will try my best to answer your query The best treatment ever for cluster headache is inhalation of 100% oxygen. This is the best treatment that gives the fastest relief in patients of cluster headache. Inhalation of this 100% oxygen can cure the episode within 5-15 minutes. Of course this is not very suitable for everyone. Many medicines are available for treatment of cluster headache attack after it has happened. These include the triptan group and the ergot alkaloids. These include drugs like sumatriptan, zolmitriptan (triptan group) and ergotamine. These medicines may not be as effective as oxygen, but are more practical. they are best taken within 5 minutes if onset of the attack here are other medicines that are meant to reduce the frequency of headache. These include calcium channel blockers and anticonvulsants. However these medicines can have serious effects. I will suggest a short stint in the hospital for the eradication of the attack, and initiation of the chronic preventive therapy so that the frequency can be reduced. I hope this helps you. Inform the reports mentioned above/if any other so I can be of help further. I have given you the answer to the maximum considering the information provided. The results of the tests could further enhance my answer to you. Please do understand that some details could be extracted from a detailed history and examination. Please feel free to ask another query. I would be glad to help you. Looking forward to your return query with the details asked so that I can help you further. (If the answer has helped you, please indicate this) Best of luck. Dr Mittal. MBBS, MD (Internal Medicine), CC (Diabetes Mellitus), DNB (Neurology) Consultant Physician and Diabetologist JS Hospital Ex Apollo Hospital, Delhi Ex Kailash Hospital, Noida