Suicide headache is also known as cluster headache or histamine headache and is one of the most severe types of headache. Suicide or cluster headaches are recurring in nature and are accompanied by debilitating pain in the head. These headaches are classified as a neurological disease and occur in sets of 1 to 4 per day which can linger on for weeks and even months. The cluster periods can be broken by brief periods of relief but the pain can relapse anytime.

Causes of suicide headache:

There are no definite causes that are known to trigger suicide headaches but various precipitating factors are known. These include:

• Chain smoking
• Intake of medications such as nitroglycerin
• Disturbed or inappropriate pattern of sleep

Symptoms of suicide headache:

• Suicide headaches are unilateral in nature and are focused around one eye.
• The eye from which pain is radiated can tear up.
• The eyelid falling on the eye tends to droop.
• This type of headache mostly occurs when the person is asleep.
• One side of the nose starts dripping and appears to be stuffed.

Treatment and prevention of suicide headache:

In order to prevent a suicide headache attack, it is essential for you to regulate your timings of sleep.

Taking small naps after your lunch or in the evening after the cluster period starts, leads to headache in certain patients. Therefore, you must try to avoid napping.

Consumption of alcohol should be avoided since beverages containing even little amount of alcohol tend to elicit a headache during the cluster period. The headache might even start instantaneously after the first drink.

Exposure to substances like gasoline and solvents should be avoided and if necessary, it should not be for a prolonged period.

High altitude adventure sports should be avoided as there is a significant drop in the level of oxygen in the environment. This causes a drop in the blood oxygen level leading to the onset of a headache.

Nicotine can also act as a precipitating factor of suicide headache; therefore, smoking should be avoided during the cluster period.