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BLINKING HELL: Blepharospasm causes eyelids to go into spasm
the original outbreak, the nerve roots supplying the genital area also supply the top of the leg and sometimes recurrent attacks occur there instead.
If you are prone to herpes attacks it’s useful to always keep a supply of antiviral tablets with you and start them immediately if the skin starts to tingle, a sign the virus has become active again.They are available on prescription from your GP.
QLAST year I had a bout of really nasty headaches on one side of my head and around the eye, which I put down to stress at work. When things in the office calmed down the headaches stopped, but now they have come back again.
The pain lasts a couple of hours and though it’s sometimes only once a day, last week I had a few days when I had repeated attacks, including during the night. My eye on the affected side waters as well and my nose is bunged up.
My doctor advised me to take sumatriptan tablets, which do help, but is there anything else I can do? I had to take time off work last week as I just couldn’t cope with the pain.
ATHIS sounds like cluster headaches. Usually the first cluster starts between the ages of 20 and 40, with men affected four times more often than women.
The pain occurs on one side of the head – often around an eye – and lasts between 45 and 90 minutes.
Attacks may vary from once every two days to eight times a day, usually for a period of six to 12 weeks, either once a year or every two years, usually about the same time of year.
They are thought to be caused by a part of the brain, known as the hypothalamus, becoming overactive, releasing chemicals that stimulate nerves and cause pain.
The hypothalamus is concerned with the body clock and it is thought this is why attacks occur at the same time of year. Most cluster headaches occur for no apparent reason but may be triggered by drinking alcohol or coffee, or pungent substances such as perfumes and petrol.
The anti-migraine treatment sumatriptan, given by injection, usually reduces the pain within 15 minutes. If this does not work then breathing in 100 per cent oxygen, via a special mask, can be helpful.
This is usually available on prescription but currently all oxygen is being diverted to hospitals so you are unlikely to be able to get this until much later in the year.
For those with disabling cluster headaches preventative treatment can be tried, such as verapamil, or steroids in short bursts.
If you have a health question for Dr Leonard, email her in confidence at yourhealth@express.co.uk. Dr Leonard regrets she cannot enter into personal correspondence or reply to everyone.
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