Cluster headaches may also be known as histamine headache, red migraine, Horton's headache, cephalalgia or spenopalatine neuralgia. The headache periods can last several weeks or months, then disappear completely for months or years leaving considerable amounts of pain-free intervals between series.
Cluster is one of the least common types of headache, and the cause is unknown.
It is vascular in nature, and the pain is caused by blood vessel swelling in the head. Although rare, it is possible for someone with cluster headache to also suffer from migraine headache. Cluster headache starts suddenly, and a minimal type of warning of the oncoming headache may occur, including a feeling of discomfort or a mild one-sided burning sensation. The pain is of short duration, generally 30 to 45 minutes. However, the headache may last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours and will disappear only to recur later that day.