For chronic sufferers, however, the cyclical pattern is absent and the attacks persist throughout the year. The intensity of each attack varies randomly. Remission for chronic sufferers for longer than a 14 day period is very rare, more usually, only a few days at a time. During a cluster attack, blood pressure elevates, heart rate increases, the body overheats, a ganglion lump on the back of the neck is quite common which becomes inflamed during an attack and diminishes when the attack subsides. There is quite often nasal congestion and tearing from the eye on the side of the head that is being attacked.
Attacks normally occur on the same side of the face each cycle.
The sufferer can not function normally during an attack and quite often prefers to be left alone in order to deal with their pain. The attack commonly and regularly wakes victims from a sound sleep. The pain has been compared to amputation without anesthetic. Many mothers who are cluster sufferers describe it as a pain much worse than natural childbirth. Quite often for a migraine sufferer, the slightest motion during an attack can be nauseating and they cannot tolerate any light or sound.