Some headaches come from withdrawal when someone stops taking a certain medication or drinking coffee, colas and other caffeinated drinks, he said. When someone has a recurrent headache, when symptoms are different from other headaches experienced, when the headache causes a change in mental status such as drowsiness or a fever and affects ability to function normally, it is time to see the family physician, Ahmad said. Cluster headaches are rare, but are more frequent among men in their 40s and 50s, Bajorek said. A cluster headache feels like a sharp knife-like pain which does not last as long as a migraine but the pain is debilitating, he said. According to the National Headache Foundation, less than 1 percent of the population is estimated to suffer from cluster headaches, and those who have them encounter the headache somewhere between the ages of 20 and 45.
Cluster headaches frequently surface during the morning or late at night.
The cycle can last weeks or months and then can disappear for months or years. Clusters often occur during spring or autumn and often are incorrectly associated with allergies. Approximately 10 percent of those who have cluster headaches, however, experience chronic cluster headaches that occur all year long. We welcome your questions, comments or suggestions .