A cluster headache has to satisfy the following criteria:
- Severe unilateral headache in the orbital, supraorbital, or temporal
region lasting 15 minutes to 3 hours.
- The frequency of headache must vary between one every other day and
up to 8 per day
- The headache must be associated with either:
- lacrimation (eye tearing)
- nasal congestion
- rhinorrhea (runny nose)
- forehead/facial swelling
- miosis (small pupil)
- ptosis (eyelid partially closed)
- eyelid edema
- conjunctival injection (redness in the white part of the eye)
- sense of restlessness or agitation during the headache.
- No other associated disease
Cluster headaches are considered episodic if they come for 7 days to
one year with at least a 2-week pain free break. They are considered chronic
if they last longer than one year without a 2-week pain-free break.
Chronic paroxysmal hemicrania is for all practical purposes is a cluster-like
headache that responds completely to indocin.
Cluster Headache Epidemiology
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