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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffLiving with cluster headache can be very difficult. Cluster headaches can be frightening to you and to your family and friends. The debilitating attacks may seem unbearable. In addition to the physical symptoms, the chronic pain that often accompanies cluster headache attacks can make you anxious or depressed. Ultimately, it may affect your interaction with friends and family, your productivity at work, and the overall quality of your life.
Talking to a counselor or therapist can help you cope with the effects of cluster headache. Or you may find encouragement and understanding in a headache support group. Although support groups aren't for everyone, they can be good sources of information. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you're interested, your doctor may be able to recommend a group in your area.
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- Ropper AH, et al. Headache and other craniofacial pains. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adam's and Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3631051&searchStr=cluster+headache. Accessed Nov. 24, 2010.
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- Melatonin. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/Search.aspx?cs=MAYO&s=ND&pt=100&id=940&ds=&name=MELATONIN&searchid=23998947. Accessed Nov. 23, 2010.
- Paemeleire K, et al. Occipital nerve stimulation for headache disorders. Neurotherapeutics: The Journal of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics. 2010;7:213.
- Sewell RA. Response of cluster headache to kudzu. Headache. 2009;49:98.
- Rossi P, et al. Use of complementary and alternative medicine by patients with cluster headache: Results of a multi-centre headache clinic survey. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 2008;16:220.
- Capsicum. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://naturaldatabase.therapeuticresearch.com/nd/Search.aspx?cs=MAYO&s=ND&pt=100&id=945&ds=&name=CAPSICUM&searchid=23998947. Accessed Nov. 29, 2010.
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