Headache on right side of head with eye pain

Cluster headaches, which occur in cyclical patterns or cluster periods, are one of the most painful types of headache. A cluster headache commonly awakens you in the middle of the night with intense pain in or around one eye on one side of your head.

Bouts of frequent attacks, known as cluster periods, can last from weeks to months, usually followed by remission periods when the headaches stop. During remission, no headaches occur for months and sometimes even years.

Fortunately, cluster headache is rare and not life-threatening. Treatments can make cluster headache attacks shorter and less severe. In addition, medications can reduce the number of cluster headaches you have.

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Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms

Headache on right side of head with eye pain
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Cluster headache

Headache on right side of head with eye pain

Cluster headache

Cluster headaches usually occur in cyclical patterns called cluster periods . Possible symptoms include severe pain in or around one eye or on one side of your head. There may be tearing, nasal stuffiness and a runny nostril on the affected side of the head.

A cluster headache strikes quickly, usually without warning, although you might first have migraine-like nausea and aura. Common signs and symptoms during a headache include:

  • Excruciating pain that is generally situated in, behind or around one eye, but may radiate to other areas of your face, head and neck
  • One-sided pain
  • Restlessness
  • Excessive tearing
  • Redness of your eye on the affected side
  • Stuffy or runny nose on the affected side
  • Forehead or facial sweating on the affected side
  • Pale skin (pallor) or flushing on your face
  • Swelling around your eye on the affected side
  • Drooping eyelid on the affected side

People with cluster headache, unlike those with migraine, are likely to pace or sit and rock back and forth. Some migraine-like symptoms — including sensitivity to light and sound — can occur with a cluster headache, though usually on one side.

Cluster period characteristics

A cluster period generally lasts for several weeks to months. The starting date and the duration of each cluster period might be consistent from period to period. For example, cluster periods can occur seasonally, such as every spring or every fall.

Most people have episodic cluster headaches. In episodic cluster headaches, the headaches occur for one week to a year, followed by a pain-free remission period lasting 3 months or longer before another cluster headache develops.

Chronic cluster periods might continue for more than a year, or pain-free periods might last less than one month.

During a cluster period:

  • Headaches usually occur every day, sometimes several times a day
  • A single attack can last from 15 minutes to three hours
  • The attacks often occur at the same time each day
  • Most attacks occur at night, usually 1 to 2 hours after you go to bed

The pain usually ends as suddenly as it began, with rapidly decreasing intensity. After attacks, most people are pain-free but exhausted.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if you've just started to have cluster headaches to rule out other disorders and to find the most effective treatment.

Headache pain, even when severe, usually isn't the result of an underlying disease. But headaches can occasionally indicate a serious underlying medical condition, such as a brain tumor or rupture of a weakened blood vessel (aneurysm).

Additionally, if you have a history of headaches, see your doctor if the pattern changes or your headaches suddenly feel different.

Seek emergency care if you have any of these signs and symptoms:

  • An abrupt, severe headache, often like a thunderclap
  • A headache with a fever, nausea or vomiting, a stiff neck, mental confusion, seizures, numbness, or speaking difficulties, which can indicate a number of problems, including a stroke, meningitis, encephalitis or a brain tumor
  • A headache after a head injury, even if it's a minor fall or bump, especially if it worsens
  • A sudden, severe headache unlike any you've had
  • A headache that worsens over days and changes in pattern

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Why is the right side of my head and eye hurting?

A cluster headache is an uncommon type of headache. It is one-sided head pain that may involve tearing of the eyes, a droopy eyelid, and a stuffy nose. Attacks last from 15 minutes to 3 hours, occur daily or almost daily for weeks or months.

What causes one side headache and eye pain?

A cluster headache commonly awakens you in the middle of the night with intense pain in or around one eye on one side of your head. Bouts of frequent attacks, known as cluster periods, can last from weeks to months, usually followed by remission periods when the headaches stop.

What causes headache and eye pain?

When your eyes work too hard, your eye muscles may contract too much. These contractions can trigger an eye strain headache. Often, these headaches cause pain and discomfort behind your eyes. You may develop an eye strain headache after focusing on a task for too long.

When should I be concerned about a headache on my right side?

If you're getting headaches only on one side of your head you shouldn't worry, but you should make an appointment with your doctor. One-sided headaches can mean different things. But they often point to a group of disorders that will need a thorough exam to provide treatment.