According to a study, people who suffer from “cluster headaches” are up to three times more likely to develop heart disease or mental disorders.
These debilitating headaches last anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours and usually occur several days a week.
They affect an estimated 1 in 1,000 people and can be a sign of widening or swelling of blood vessels. People with this condition are more prone to mental and neurological disorders, as well as heart disease.
There is evidence that cluster headaches are associated with abnormalities in the brain region responsible for producing the “happy hormone” serotonin, the “sleep hormone” melatonin, and the “stress hormone” cortisol.
Of the more than 3,200 Swedes who get cluster headaches, 92 percent were more likely to have neuromusculoskeletal disorders, characterized by persistent pain and mobility problems.
The study was conducted by Swedish scientists who recruited 3,240 people aged 16 to 64 with cluster headaches.
They compared this group with 16,200 people who were similar in terms of age, gender and other factors. The majority of subjects were men, who are more prone to cluster headaches.
92 percent of people with cluster headaches had an additional illness. A majority — 52 percent — had co-occurring nervous system disorders, compared with 15 percent of those without cluster headaches.
Disorders with the second highest percentage of patients with cluster headache involved the musculoskeletal system and caused long-term pain and mobility problems, compared with 24 percent in patients without headache.
Blood, immune, endocrine and metabolic disorders, as well as pregnancy-related disorders, were very rare in both groups.
Dr Caroline Ran, the author of the study from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, said: “Our results show that not only do people with cluster headaches have an increased risk of other diseases, but that people with at least one other disease four is. times so likely to have missed many days. due to illness and disability only work if people with cluster headaches.’
MRI scans show people with debilitating headaches have physical changes in their brains
MRI scans show that migraine sufferers have enlarged, fluid-filled spaces around blood vessels in central brain regions.
The results were published in the journal Neurology.
Less than 80 percent of people who did not have cluster headaches had two or more additional disorders, mostly affecting the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, causing persistent pain and limited mobility.
The headache was bad enough to double the absence.
Those with cluster headaches missed an average of 63 days of work compared to 34 days for those without cluster headaches.
“It is very important to improve our understanding of the other disorders that affect people with cluster headaches and how this affects their ability to work,” said Dr. Ran added.
“This information can help us make decisions about treatments, prevention and prognosis.”
However, a notable caveat was the lack of personal information about individuals, such as smoking habits, alcohol consumption and body mass index.
The exact cause of cluster headaches is unknown, but scientists have identified smoking and alcohol use as possible causes.
A family history of cluster headaches can also worsen the condition.
Episodes usually last between five and 15 minutes, but can last up to 180 minutes if left untreated. Attack episodes are much longer.
An attack cycle usually lasts six to 12 weeks, with remissions lasting up to a year. Many people experience one to two periods of attacks per year.
The most effective treatments for acute attacks are oxygen therapy and sumatriptan injections.
The high blood pressure drug verapamil is useful for long-term prevention. An injectable drug has also been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
Cluster headaches are different from migraines, which cause debilitating headaches, nausea, fainting, vomiting and even paralysis.
Migraine sufferers experience an average of 13 attacks per year, usually in clusters or episodes lasting several days.
They are the sixth leading cause of disability worldwide.
Like cluster headaches, migraines are strongly associated with depression and absenteeism.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
