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A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that patients who suffer from cluster headaches may have a method of quick relief without the use of drugs. Breathing high-flow oxygen can stop the excruciating pain within 15 minutes.

This study used 76 adults who suffer from periodic cluster headaches, which are typified by spells of debilitating pain near the eyes or the temple on one side of the head. These headaches are currently treated with injections of triptan drugs, but side effects of these drugs limit its use.

During the study, when participants got one of these headaches they were treated either by breathing the high-flow oxygen through a mask for 15 minutes or by breathing regular air through a mask. Each patient was treated for four separate headaches. About 75% of those who were treated with the high-flow oxygen were either completely without pain or had considerable relief within 15 minutes. This is compared to the 20% who felt relief while breathing regular air.

Oxygen has been used to treat cluster headaches, but to this point there have been no studies that prove the efficacy of the use of oxygen. The use of oxygen to treat these headaches has no negative side effects, unlike the triptan drugs that are often used to threat cluster headaches.

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