- Cluster headaches are an uncommon disorder that affects around one in every 1,000 people. They are dramatic, severe, and incapacitating pain assaults localized on one side of the brain.
- People who suffer from cluster headaches are roughly twice as likely as those who do not miss work.
- According to new research, 92% of persons with cluster headaches have at least one other condition.
- People who suffer cluster headaches and other ailments take roughly four times as many days off work as those who only have cluster headaches.
Cluster headaches are episodes of extreme pain on one side of the head, usually around the eye.
The uncommon illness, which affects around 0.1% of the population, can be devastating. Cluster headaches can afflict up to eight people each day, with each one lasting anywhere from 15 to 180 minutes.
Prof. Peter Goadsby, chairman of OUCH(UK), whose goal is to promote awareness of the ailment, indicated to Medical News Today that cluster headaches are less severe than migraines. Nonetheless, he defines the pain as “extremely strong (more so than any other pain recorded)” and adds that it might be accompanied by “prominent aspects of eye-watering, redness, and nasal congestion.”
The exact etiology of cluster headaches is unknown. Previous study shows that the illness may be caused by anomalies in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates circadian rhythm.
According to a new study from Sweden’s Karolinska University Hospital and Danderyd Hospital, those who suffer from cluster headaches are more likely to be unwell and miss work.
The findings were published in the journal Neurology. Cluster headache causes
Cluster headaches, unlike migraines and tension headaches, are not commonly related to triggers such as meals, hormonal changes, or stress.
Dr. Medhat Mikhael, pain management expert and medical director of the non-operative program at Memorial Care Orange Coast Medical Center, who was not involved in the present study, talked with MNT.
“There are certain elements that might provoke cluster [headaches] including prolonged alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking, strong odors, stress, and lack of sleep. “Avoiding all of those triggers and adopting lifestyle changes will assist,” said Dr. Mikhael.
Cluster headache treatment
Cluster headaches are unlikely to disappear with lifestyle modifications due to the severity of the disorder, according to the study’s main author Dr. Caroline Ran, a research expert at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
“There are hypotheses about lifestyle modifications as a way to minimize illness burdens, such as smoking cessation or sleep management,” Dr. Ran stated.
Treatments can lower the duration, intensity, and frequency of episodes.
Dr. Goadsby recommended sumatriptan injection, sumatriptan nasal spray, zolmitriptan nasal spray, non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation, verapamil, galcanezumab (in the United States), and corticosteroids as therapies.
“Treatment of acute cluster headache begins with supportive treatment utilizing oxygen, as well as abortive drugs such as triptans and CGRP inhibitors,” Dr. Mikheal stated. “There are other preventative therapies that include calcium channel blockers, B-blockers, and CGRP inhibitors, both injectable and oral.”
Other diseases and cluster headaches
The researchers compared the employment records and health data of 3,240 persons with cluster headaches to 16,200 people who did not have cluster headaches.
Cluster headaches have been linked to an increase in various ailments such as heart disease, mental illnesses, and neurologic diseases. Indeed, 92% of those experiencing cluster headaches in the research also had at least one additional condition.
“We were surprised to see that so many patients had additional disorders; this is something we need to discuss with clinic colleagues in order to evaluate how this affects patients’ overall health, treatment options, and how we can provide the best healthcare possible to avoid them ending up in long term sickness absence.”
– Dr. Ran
Interestingly, despite the fact that cluster headaches afflict males more than women, researchers discovered that 96% of female cluster headache patients in the study had an additional disease, compared to 90% of men.
“We discovered that also in the reference group, morbidity was greater in females. “It is probable that, because cluster headache already has a significant influence on these patients’ lives, adding additional illness simply makes work-life balance impossible, resulting in sickness absence and disability compensation,” Dr. Ran added.
During the research period, persons with cluster headaches were nearly twice as likely as those without to take sick days, 63 days compared to 34 days.
Furthermore, persons who had cluster headaches and another disease missed nearly four times as many work days as those who only had cluster headaches.
“I feel the most fascinating element is revealing how extensive the linked impairment and loss of job and productivity among people with cluster headache. Also, while cluster headache is considerably more prevalent in men, it appears that the disability rate and loss of employment is higher in women,” Dr.Mikheal added.
Limitations of the study and future research
The study’s authors emphasise that the study is hampered by a lack of information regarding primary healthcare events and personal data linked to lifestyle behaviours (alcohol use, smoking habits, and BMI), which may have resulted in certain illnesses being underestimated.
It is also crucial to note that the study was done within the Swedish population (which was primarily male for this study) and so may not be directly relevant to other demographics. Surprisingly, the majority of large-scale epidemiological research to date have been conducted on Caucasians. As a result, the incidence of cluster headaches in various groups remains unknown.
Dr. Ran stated the following concerning probable ethnic differences:
“It’s difficult to say whether there is a difference in cluster headache cases between nations. It is more likely that we will detect variations due to socioeconomic variables than than race. We previously discovered that illness absence in cluster headache patients is greater in lower education categories, for example; this is likely to reflect socioeconomic status, which is also known to be connected with general health.”
Dr. Ran added that the next stage of the experiment would be to explore the higher-risk sub-groups.
“Having identified particular sub-groups of persons, we have identified mental health and cardiovascular illness as special risk categories and look forward to further exploring these groups,” she added.
Dr. Goadbsy urged those suffering from cluster headaches to “seek assistance in a patient organization, such as OUCH(UK), and consult a physician with experience with cluster headaches.”
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