There’s another, more insidious side to these cluster headaches: when I’m in the midst of a cycle, the headache never really goes away. I can feel it there, almost like a living thing, a parasite or a stainless steel rat, sleeping behind my right eye. Sooner or later, it wakes and begins to rage, clawing the walls, throwing furniture, trying to beat its way out of my head. It senses that the eyeball is a weak point; it pushes and batters it, trying to force an opening to escape from. Often I’d like to help!
It’s hard to relate to those who’ve never had this type of headache, but a fellow sufferer’s words come close: “Imagine the worst “normal” headache you ever had. Multiply that by about twenty times, and center it on one point on the side of your head. Maybe then you’ll come close to understanding what cluster headaches really are.”
To whoever reads this, I’d just like to say thank you—it really is a relief, an unburdening feeling to share my experience with someone, whether or not they truly understand the terror and horror of a cluster headache attack.
There is pain, and there is Pain. This is Pain, and I want it to be gone!
And, knock on wood, the Pain may finally BE gone! It’s been over five years since the Steel Rat last paid me a visit, and thanks to a couple of tips picked up on the Internet, I may never experience the displeasure of his company again. I sincerely hope the following—I hesitate to call them “cures”—can bring relief to even a single cluster headache sufferer.
Water—Yes, water ... so simple yet so effective. Once a cluster cycle has begun, drink like there’s no tomorrow. Big tall glasses of water, at least one every hour or so. You’ll be visiting the bathroom fairly often, but so what—think of it as flushing the Pain away. I’ve found that pounding back the water not only lessens the Pain, it also reduces the time each headache lasts and can end a Cluster cycle earlier as well.
Kudzu—They may call it “The Green Menace,” but I call it a Godsend! When I first read about Kudzu extract capsules being used to combat the pain of cluster headaches, I drove right over to my local health food store and bought a bottle. The day I took my first Kudzu pill was the last time I ever had a cluster headache! When I was sure the cycle was over, I stopped taking the pills. So far, so good—and I hope it’s good for you, too!
Here’s to every day being a pain-free day, forever and ever!
