This page is designed for allies, family, and medical staff to understand the severity of Cluster Headaches (CH).
In medical literature, the pain of a Cluster Attack is often referred to as "Suicide Pain." It is widely considered the most painful condition known to science.
It is not a "headache." It is a Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgia. The Trigeminal nerve (the main sensory nerve of the face) is being activated at a level that mimics the sensation of an eye being pushed out of the skull or a red-hot poker being driven into the temple.
During an attack, the sufferer is in a "Combat State." Their nervous system is overwhelmed.
DO: Provide high-flow oxygen if available, maintain absolute silence, and keep the environment dark and cool.
DON'T: Ask "Are you okay?", try to massage the area, or suggest over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol (they do not work for this level of neurological pain).