Headaches: Cluster - Medications

Treatment for Sleep Apnea

Patients with cluster headaches who suffer from daytime sleepiness should consider being evaluated for a possible diagnosis of sleep apnea. Anyone who has both should then strongly consider treatment for the apnea as possible therapy for cluster headaches.

In some studies, patients with both cluster headaches and apnea who were treated with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) experienced substantial reduction in the frequency and severity of cluster headaches. Currently, CPAP is the best treatment for many types of sleep apnea. It works in the following way:

• The treatment employs a machine weighing about five pounds that fits on a bedside table.
• A mask containing a tube connects to the device and fits over just the nose.
• The machine supplies a steady stream of air through a tube and applies sufficient air pressure to prevent the tissues from collapsing during sleep.

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