Cluster Headache

Dr. Urban is a native of Presov, Czechoslovakia. He graduated from Safarik University Medical School in 1974, and from there, completed a residency and fellowship in Neurology at the Municipal Hospital, Kosice, Czechoslovakia. Dr. Urban came to the United States in 1985, first settling in San Francisco, and then moving to the Midwest to pursue a residency in Internal Medicine at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in Chicago.

He joined the staff of the Diamond Headache Clinic in 1990, and since has taken a strong interest in the treatment of headache with Botox. He is currently on the staff of Saint Joseph Hospital and is a Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine, at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and a Lecturer, Department of Medicine (Neurology), Loyola University Chicago/Stritch School of Medicine.

He has lectured on various headache subjects throughout his career, and is actively conducting research at the clinic.

[CharlotteLWilliams]

Thank you. I am a female with chronic cluster headache. My treatment plan seems to conform to your recommendations with Indocin, verapamil, o2, & botox. Mine got worse after menopause. Many of us go years without a proper diagnosis and your contribution here will help. Thank you, once again.

[dunskie]

I can not help but wonder if Doctor Urban has ever actually seen the excruciating effect of a CH attack in person. I am literally amazed at his description. While everything he says is basically true in my long experience, his priorities in describing this to someone who has never seen it, seems robotic to me. The FIRST symptom of CH that should be conveyed IMO, is the incredible, inhuman, severe AGONY that accompanies this type of headache that is far far different from all others. Thanks.

[cindyreynolds]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this webcast Dr. Urban. As a chronic cluster headache patient, I'm thrilled to see projects such as this one dedicated to this disorder. Last March I attended "Headache on the Hill". A project spearheaded by Dr. Robert Shapiro and the Alliance for Headache Disorder Advocacy (AHDA). 63 concerned patients and representatives submitted an "ask" to Congress for more funding to research all primary headache disorders. Hoping I'll see more webcasts!

[CindyReynoldsAdvocacy]

Wonderful! I see from my green folder (leave behinds) you were there again this year as was I. The cluster headache patient community (Clusterbusters Nonprofit) is thrilled to join with all other primary HA groups and storm the castle! This yrs progress is so encouraging. I have your website on a FB "list". Through the "Deep Brain" list a few fellow patients called in to take part in this webinar. Much appreciation goes out to you & the NHF.

[dannymartinez]

I would like to share something that need to add to the mystery of cluster headaches, I first experienced my left eye would water up and felt really warm but experienced no pain, I was in 10th grade, 16 yrs old, i started experiencing pain around 18 it was like a brain freeze times 100 on my left side, around 20 years old it went down my neck and felt like a nerve that was in my arm that want around my elbow and down to my wrist, I would lay on my left arm till it went numb about 15 minutes then slowly turned on my back it seemed to help, until it want to me shoulder blade I was 22, and when I was 24 when I got married it was the worst I’ve had to deal with when it woke me up, full blown, two hours after going to sleep, when I was 24years old it was 2004, my wife would go though it with me every fall for 5 more years, in 2009 when I finally was Diagnose and treat it with medication for cluster headaches, one night I was woke up with the worst attack I ever experienced, that lasted an hour before I had to go to work at 8 am, this would be the last time I had an attack to date, this is what happened to me the day I went to work after suffering an attack that left me exhausted the whole day at work about 30 minutes before getting off work at 4:30 I had an accident and ended up cutting the tip of my right middle finger down to the first joint, I don’t know if it played a factor why I haven’t had a cluster headache since 2009 when I had my accident, I would like to talk about it if it could help the study or why losing my finger could have stop, having to suffer with cluster headache to date?

[ericthespark]

Spot on Paul Johnson
I've been a survivor for 30 years, Chronic for the last 5
Shadowing most of the day between the 8/10 Attacks, which take up about 10 to 12 hours of ScrEAMing PaiN each day
Clusters are definitely
A PAIN WORST THAN DEATH

[aldoe]

My younger brother is currently have a cluster headache. I cannot explain the pain he has endured. my mother cries at night watching him scream in pain and the worst possible agony for 2-3 hours every day. He tells me he is going to die one day because he doesn't know how much more his body can take. He cries out me to shoot him, take him out and wants to die. He has endured cluster headaches for so many many years and it wears him down in so so many ways in life. He did not have a normal life since elementary because the school removed him. Home schooling was not as effective as well because of the frequency of CH so he currently has an eduction of a 6th grader. He has no normal life as this consumes him. Daily actives are limited and many employers are not wiling to deal with someone with a condition like that. He is afraid and unwilling to go out to even a simple family picnic. there is no way i can even express how much pain this causes him and my family. I beg someone to please help him as i will continue to till the end. Thank you God bless.

[mahanassar]

I had clusters for eight months, 3 to 4 attacks a day and for other reasons I had a blood patch done and the side effect to the blood patch was no more Clusters. Not even 1. This is so very important. I hope the medical community looks into this. I helped another person who also became pain free and no attacks. I need someone to hear me!!!!

[ClusterHeadSurvivor]

where do you get 15 min to 1 hours???try upto 3 !!!! and 1 to 3? I get average 4-6. Most I had in one day was 15.also as a chronic sufferer for almost 8 yrs I have had zero repetitive track record of time of day or anything, Mine all speratic.

[markmywords]

Nasal spray is not as good as injections