Headache On One Side of Head 

Headache on one side of head is defined as cluster headache.  It is chronic and it is repeated everyday for several weeks and will eventually go off by itself. 

Cluster headache appears to be different from stress headache, barometric pressure headache, headache at the top of head or neck tension headache as it happens more commonly on men than in women. Although it happens more common among adolescence and middle age, the sufferers are mostly heavy smokers.   

What causes headache on one side of of head?
Up till now, scientist has not managed to detect the reason that causes headache on one side of head.  What is known that it has no relationship with family history; therefore it is not an inheritance trait that passes along each generation. However, it is found that cluster headache is related to a sudden release of histamine and serotonin in the body. 

Headache on one side of head usually begins with extremely serious and sudden pain. The pain is described as sharp, burning and steady at one side of the pain. It usually occurs after two to three hours of sleep and when people are in REM Stage, or what we have known as rapid eye movement phase where dreaming happens. As given by its name, it occurs in and around one eye only.   

This pain may then affect the face from the neck to the temple on the same side as the pain happens and within five to ten minutes, the pain eventually worsens. Headache on one side of head is strong and lost lasting.

It can stays for only thirty minutes, or up till two hours on the sufferer. Other than pain, the sufferer will experience swelling on the eye, sometimes, both eyes are affected, red eyes and also excessive tearing. 

In addition to that, the nose is also affected where a person may have stuffy nose on the same side of the pain, or experiencing rhinorrea, what we normally called as runny nose. Last by not least, the sufferers face will turn red as well. 

What are the relief for headache on one side of head?
It is sad to say that there is no treatment to cure headache on one side of head; however, there are ways to inhibit the pain when it happens and ways to prevent it from happening.

Medications are given in combination to control headache symptoms. It is better to seek for doctor’s help to find out which medicines best suits you before trying it blindly as every person reacts differently on different medicine. 

Generally, a pain killer is not used as it takes too long to stop the pain. The general medicine will be Antihistamines, Indomethacin, Lithium carbonate, Calcium channel blockers, Propranolol, Amitriptyline, Verapamil and also Cyproheptadine. 

These drugs may have severe side effect, therefore if it does not seem to be effective and unusual signs such as chest pain, numbs and tingling in fingers or toes, changes in heart rates, go to the doctor for help. 

How to prevent headache on one side of head?
Headache on one side of head or cluster headache pain may interfere daily activities and complication may also arise due to tension headache medication and the patients have to undergo surgery. The best way of preventing it is by changing daily lifestyle for example, stop smoking and drinking alcohol.

Besides that, record the daily food consumptions and lifestyle on a dairy to prevent any event that may trigger headache.