How To Treat Suicide Headaches?

21 December, 2009 No Comment

Suicide headaches are also known as cluster headaches and belong to the category of neurological diseases. These headaches are marked by debilitating pain that according to some patients is more intense than the pain experienced during childbirth or a bursting migraine attack.

The symptoms of a suicide headache are quite similar to those of migraine headache owing to the fact that in both cases the patient experiences severe pain, but one needs to remember that both are different neurological disorders and respond to different treatments.

Suicide headaches can be extremely agonizing and are accompanied by excruciating pain. In some cases they might even call for medical emergency and must not be taken lightly.

Sadly though, since these headaches are marked by unclear symptoms and the doctors are unable to diagnose them in one go, many patients do not receive appropriate treatment for their headaches. Thus, it is necessary for you to get a correct diagnosis and treat your suicide headache today.

Symptoms of Suicide headaches:

A primary symptom of suicide headaches is that they occur every so often and are characterized by periods of debilitating pain that tend to subside suddenly and can return again. Unlike most other headaches, suicide headaches fail to respond to general pain medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen and are also immune to biofeedback.

Suicide headaches occur in episodes with a single episode lasting from 15 minutes to 3 hours. In most of the cases the headache is unilateral which means that it affects only one side of the head. But in other cases, the pain has a tendency to shift sides during episodes and can be bilateral.

Other than being confused with migraine headache, suicide headaches are also misinterpreted as multiple sclerosis or brain tumor. Thus, it is essential for the patient to visit a doctor at the earliest and undergo all necessary tests to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis.

How to treat suicide headaches?

Medications:

Various drugs can be given to the patient to help alleviate the pain and reduce its duration. Inhalers and injections are considered to be more effective than oral medications for treating suicide headaches.

Dihydroergotamine is available as injection and inhaler and is extremely effective for combating the pain. Sumatriptan and octreotide injections are also available for treating suicide headache pain. Oxygen and local anesthetics are also given in emergency situations.

Surgical options:

Suicide headaches can be treated with the help of conventional surgical procedures as well as radio surgery. Although these options are considered to be the last resort, they are helpful in cases where the patient is unable to function normally on account of the pain.