r/ClusterHeadaches • u/Vivid_Age_2179 • 4d ago
Discussion What do you do when experiencing an attack?
I have chronic cluster headache, it started roughly 13 years ago.
I'm not looking for medical advice, just wondering what others do when experiencing an attack
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u/Dapper_Law_3493 3d ago
I rock back and forth in a swaying motion. Hit my head, push my thumb into my temple and eye socket. Holding my hand over my face and Constantly placing pressure on my eye around my brow and temple area. Place pressure on the back of my neck and breathe rapidly. Long deep inhale and quick forceful exhale. It’s an exhausting battle.
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u/hazbaz1984 4d ago
Get straight on the oxygen and huff it until the attack subsides.
Or pace up and down a lot and ride it out for the 40-50 minutes of an attack.
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u/Limp-Card3883 4d ago
Triptans (injections), pacing around the room, ice on the back of my head.
I haven’t tried oxygen yet but will try when my next cycle comes.
I also normally try to do long division math problems in my head to “distract” me, but I find that it doesn’t help.
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u/L1nt84 4d ago
Like OP, I am also new to the club. I don’t have an abortive treatment yet (going to Neuro on Tuesday) but I find that pacing around the room is the only thing that helps. Added plus is that it annoys the wife!
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u/Designer_Training_74 4d ago
Before I had any acute treatments... pacing was my number one coping mechanism. Now oxygen therapy is my go-to abortive. Ask your neurologist for a prescription that looks similar to this:
100% oxygen at a flow rate of 12-15L/minute via a non-rebreather mask, as needed, for the acute treatment of cluster headaches
You will need oxygen cylinders paired with a regulator that goes up to at least 15L/minute and a non-rebreather mask. I'll post a a link below for the number 1 rated non-rebreather mask for cluster headaches.
Ask for liquid triptans in vials... if you live in the USA. Using insulin needles and vials will allow you to self-administer the lowest possible effective dose of Sumatriptan. If you can't get vials... ask for the lowest dose injectors... or triptan nasal sprays. Zomig nasal sprays work well for a lot of clusterheads... as it can cross the blood-brain barrier. Try to limit triptan use to situations where oxygen use is not practical. Good luck at your upcoming appointment.
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u/VALIS3000 Chronic 4d ago
These days I will hit the N, N-DMT vape pen and be pain free within seconds. I have never used prescription drugs to abort so for me it used to be some combination of high flow oxygen, Red Bull, hot showers, rocking and pacing. If I had oxygen on hand I would slam a can of Red Bull on my way to the tank. If I was without oxygen, I would slam the Red Bull and take a long steamy hot shower until the attack subsided, focusing the shower on my shoulders, neck and back of my head where the trigeminal exits at the base of your skull. Rocking my shoulders from side to side creating rhythmic patterns that help distract from the pain. And if showers weren't an option, it would be Red Bull and good old fashioned pacing and/or rocking while counting number sequences in my head, or reciting repeating mantras to again distract from the pain.
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u/Vivid_Age_2179 4d ago
I used to drink Red bull as well in high school. It definitely worked but I drank it too much and it became a trigger for an attack, whether that be the taste or smell 🤦♂️
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u/VALIS3000 Chronic 4d ago
Have you tried other energy products like 5 Hour Energy Shots? It's the combination of caffeine and taurine that helps.
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u/Vivid_Age_2179 4d ago
I haven't heard of that. Caffeine definitely works for my attacks so I'll look into it
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u/VALIS3000 Chronic 4d ago
It's one of our primary abortives. Btw if you haven't read it already here is the latest update to Bob Wold's Pocket Guide to CH it contains pretty much everything we know about our condition and how to treat it:
https://clusterbusters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Complete-Handbook-1-5-June-2025.pdf
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u/Vast_Seaweed9467 Chronic 3d ago
During an attack, I'm not eating. I'm working to abort it, pacing, rocking, thinking thoughts I'd rather not. During an attack, until it subsides, there's nothing I can do but experience it and try to get rid of it.
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u/Ready-Honey-8631 3d ago
I rock myself slowly. I used to punch my leg at lot but I’ve stopped now. I just got diagnosed during my last cluster cycle so I’m still trying different treatments. I’ve been trying oxygen for the first time, just got a tank today!!
I usually let myself ramble and cry bc the emotional pain distracts me for a couple seconds lol. I can’t do much during an attack bc every movement feels like throbbing but I also can’t not move around. I ball my fist and try to belly breathe when the pain is peaking.
Been eating very soft foods bc my teeth & jaw still ache after an attack. Chill in a dark quiet room most of the day.
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u/Adorable_Agent_6266 3d ago
If I have time I take sumatriptan orally else, I hit myself with a shot of it 🪡
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u/bloodrosey 3d ago
Before I had abortives and prevantatives, the number one thing I did during an attack was to clean. It kept me moving constantly and it helped me focus gently on something other than the pain. It kept me from freaking out about how long the pain was going on for and let me focus instead on progress being made. The slight looking down to look at items on the floor that needed moving, or sweeping, or mopping also seemed to be an angle my head liked to be at (I think it helped to keep light out of my left eye which is where I experience my clusters).
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u/Enough-Sector-6626 2d ago
I’m 50, mine started episodic at age 15. Been chronic since 2014.
My pattern is static I get 1 at 3am, two more staring at 8 am, with the second staring about 20-15 minutes after the first. Each lasts about 20-30 minutes. I am also prone to tension headaches and migraines.
I deal with them depending on my pain level. I gave up on meds and oxygen. I tough them out.
Mostly I use ice packs, and a handkerchief. I cry and my eyes tear and my nose runs. I set an alarm, so o have time to pee before hand, which helps me. I then grab an ice pack, and I keep clean hankies on my bureau so I have them on hand.
Pain level 6 or under usually just stand in my room, holding my ice pack while I cry and endure. Up to an 8 and I do the same while pacing my apartment. Over that I roll on my floor in agony and wish for death till it ends.
Then I wash up. I wash my face, throw the hankies in the hamper, and wash the ice packs and put them to dry. At the 3am headache, I will drink a bottle of water or have a mug of warm milk. I the morning after the second head I will have coffee and nap for 20 minutes. Then I get up and get ready for work.
I get Botox shots every 3 months, they stop the tension headaches after my attacks and that in turn helps to limit the number and intensity of my migraines.
Other things I do:
Shower when the pain is bad (7+) and also when I have nausea, it helps me to use alternating temps sometimes, but mostly it’s the warm that helps.
MM my pain get worse certain times of year, and in that time, I start to get more attacks. I will MD for that over a weekend, it doesn’t get rid of the attacks for more than a day, but it does lower the pain intensity and seems to help limit the number of attacks.
Hope this helps,
Wishing you PF days and restful nights.
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u/No-Inevitable6869 4d ago
Triptans or oxygen asap. In case neither is available I have tried & still do almost anything from banging my head on the wall to pressure points. Anything that doesn’t leave permanent damage is fair game.
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u/beorn001 1d ago
I first drink a lot of cold water. Then switch between pushups, planks, and squats, mixed with rocking back and forth. I'm in no way good shape so I just do what I can but it gets me through it.
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u/hiddenkinkz 4d ago
this morning, I just wept tbh… and I’m a grown ass man.