Cluster Migraine Symptoms

Although many people think of a migraine only as an excruciating headache, there are actually various kinds of migraine and various migraine symptoms. Basilar artery, abdominal, ophthalmic, ocular, and hemiplegic are some kinds of migraine. In addition to these, many claim to experience cluster migraine symptoms.

Defining the cluster migraine

The term “cluster migraine” is sometimes applied when migraineurs experience frequent migraine episodes over a short space of time. It is more accurate to apply the term only to those rare headaches that clearly display cluster migraine symptoms.

Cluster Migraine Symptoms

* begin suddenly
* begin at night
* begin an hour or two after the person falls asleep
* involve intense, sharp, penetrating pain
* occur behind one eye
* eye may be teary and bloodshot
* eyelid may droop
* nostril on that side may go from stuffy to runny

During a single attack, cluster migraine symptoms will occur in either the left or right side, but never in both.

Effects of Cluster Migraine Symptoms

Unlike other migraine symptoms, which make the sufferer want to be very still and quiet, cluster migraine symptoms often cause the sufferer to pace the floor. At times, cluster migraine symptoms make the migraineur feel like banging his or her head against a wall.

Cluster migraine symptoms seldom last 24 to 72 hours, as do other migraine symptoms. They usually are gone within 2 hours, as suddenly as they began. There may be another episode later at night, or there may be only one. However, cluster migraine symptoms tend to recur day after day, at the same time. The effect is that the sufferer dreads going to sleep at night.

Rarity of Cluster Migraine Symptoms

This type of migraine is rare. Of the men and women who experience cluster migraine symptoms, 10 times as many will be men. Most are likely to have one or two headaches a night for 2 to 6 weeks. Then they will be headache-free for 6 to 12 months before the next cycle. A minority will experience cluster migraine symptoms nightly for at least a year before having remission.