What is Cluster headache?

What is Cluster headache?

• Cluster headache: Headache that occurs periodically, with active periods interrupted by spontaneous remissions.
• Cluster headache: A syndrome characterized by daily episodes of intense periorbital pain that recur over a period of 6-12 weeks that may be followed by a period of remission of months to years. The pain is non-throbbing, has a duration of 30-60 minutes and tends to occur at night or at regular intervals during the day. Unilateral rhinorrhea, conjunctival injection, lacrimation, facial flushing, and miosis frequently accompany the headaches, which primarily affect young adult males. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p181)
  Source - Diseases Database
• Cluster headache: a painful recurring headache associated with the release of histamine from cells.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Cluster headache as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

Cluster headache: Introduction

Types of Cluster headache:

Broader types of Cluster headache:

• Headache
• Head Conditions
• more types...»

Who gets Cluster headache?

Profile for Cluster headache: Cluster attacks can strike at any age but usually start between the ages of 20 and 40. Unlike migraine, cluster headaches are more common in men and do not run in families. (Source: excerpt from Headache - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Gender Profile for Cluster headache: Men 10:1 women

How serious is Cluster headache?

Complications of Cluster headache: see complications of Cluster headache

What causes Cluster headache?

Causes of Cluster headache: see causes of Cluster headache
Risk factors for Cluster headache: see risk factors for Cluster headache

What are the symptoms of Cluster headache?

Symptoms of Cluster headache: see symptoms of Cluster headache

Complications of Cluster headache: see complications of Cluster headache

Onset of Cluster headache: It affects approximately 0.1% of the population, and men are more commonly affected than women.

Duration of Cluster headache: 30-45 minutes

Duration of Cluster headache: Cluster headaches last between 30 and 45 minutes. (Source: excerpt from Headache - Hope Through Research: NINDS)

Cluster headache: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Cluster headache.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Cluster headache.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Cluster headache: see treatments for Cluster headache
Prevention of Cluster headache: see prevention of Cluster headache
Research for Cluster headache: see research for Cluster headache

Society issues for Cluster headache

Hospitalization statistics for Cluster headache: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Cluster headache:

• 0.004% (485) of hospital consultant episodes were for cluster headache syndrome in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 85% of hospital consultant episodes for cluster headache syndrome required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 39% of hospital consultant episodes for cluster headache syndrome were for cluster headache syndrome men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 61% of hospital consultant episodes for cluster headache syndrome were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 82% of hospital consultant episodes for cluster headache syndrome required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Cluster headache:

Organs and body systems related to Cluster headache include:

• Head

Name and Aliases of Cluster headache

Main name of condition: Cluster headache

histamine cephalalgia, histamine headache, Harris' migrainous neuralgia, Horton's headache, Horton's disease, Horton's syndrome, migrainous neuralgia, vasomotor headache, Horton-Gilmour disease, Horton-Magath-Brown disease, Horton's arteritis, Horton's giant cell arteritis, Horton's temporal arteritis, Horton-Magath-Brown syndrome, Hutchinson-Horton-Syndrome, Arteritis temporalis, Arteritis cranialis, Temporal megacellular arteritis., Suicide headache

Bing-Horton neuralgia, Horton syndrome Source - Diseases Database

Histamine headache, Cluster headache
Source - WordNet 2.1

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Cluster headache:

• Bing-Horton syndrome
• Histaminic cephalalgia
• Cluster migraine
• Paroxysmal nocturnal cephalalgia
• Red migraine
• Erythromelalgia of the head
• Sphenopalatine neuralgia
• Migrainous neuralgia
• Periorbital pain

 » Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for Cluster headache

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