Ch. 168, Headache This Publication Is Searchable The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy Section 14. Neurologic Disorders Chapter 168. Men have cluster headache more often than women. Triggers include alcohol, sleep, and barometric pressure change. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and the exclusion of intracranial pathology.
Treatment is prophylactic, abortive, or analgesic.
The calcium channel blocker verapamil and the serotonin antagonist methysergide are used for prophylaxis. Sumatriptan and ergots are used for abortive treatment. Indomethacin is uniquely effective for cluster headache. All rights reserved.