Cluster Headache

Classified by the International Headache Society (IHS) under a collective called Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias, this group includes SUNCT/SUNA, paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua. It is characterised by the presence of distinct autonomic features such as a watery eye or runny nose but only on one side.

The distinctive feature of this type of headache is that ‘attacks’ occur in clusters. They will often just ‘appear out of nowhere’ every 12 months to two years. The severe pain can last for 30-45 minutes, often at night, but each episode may occur up to eight times a day. People will often describe the pain building up in severity until it reaches a crescendo before gradually settling down over the 45 minutes.  This process repeats itself on a daily basis, gradually getting worse over time before slowly settling down and disappearing 6-12 weeks later. In between these periods of severe headaches, a long period of remission will occur lasting from months to years where the person has no headaches at all.