About Cluster Headache
Understanding cluster headache
Clear, accurate information about what cluster headache is, what it feels like, and how it is diagnosed - written for patients, families, and GPs in New Zealand.
What is cluster headache?
Cluster headache is a primary neurological headache disorder causing some of the most severe pain a human can experience. Learn what it is and what makes it different.
Read more →Symptoms
The pain, the accompanying symptoms (tearing, nasal congestion, restlessness), the timing, and the patterns that distinguish cluster headache from other conditions.
Read more →Getting diagnosed in New Zealand
The path to diagnosis in New Zealand - including what to say to your GP, when to ask for a neurologist referral, and what to expect.
Read more →Could this be cluster headache?
A screening tool based on ICHD-3 criteria. It cannot diagnose you, but it can help you prepare a focused summary for your GP.
Use the tool →Episodic vs chronic cluster headache
The difference between episodic CH (cluster periods separated by remissions) and chronic CH (no remission), and what it means for your treatment approach.
Read more →Cluster headache vs migraine
The two conditions are often confused, and the difference matters because the treatments are completely different. A clear comparison.
Read more →If you've just been told you have cluster headache, we recommend starting with What is cluster headache? and then moving to Treatment in New Zealand to understand what options are available to you right now.