Cluster Headaches

Research

Mayo Clinic researchers actively study cluster headaches and other types of headaches. Researchers study new medications and treatment options to help prevent and treat cluster headaches. Read more about Mayo Clinic headache research.

Researchers are studying promising new cluster headache treatments, including:

• Occipital nerve stimulation. Researchers are studying the effectiveness of occipital nerve stimulation, a procedure in which your surgeon implants electrodes in the back of your head and connects them to a small generator. The electrodes send impulses to stimulate the area of the occipital nerve, which may help block or relieve your pain signals.
• Deep brain stimulation. Doctors are researching the treatment of cluster headaches using deep brain stimulation, a procedure in which your surgeon implants an electrode into a specific area of your brain (the hypothalamus) associated with the timing of cluster headache periods. Your surgeon connects the electrode to a generator that changes your brain's electrical impulses and may help relieve your pain.

Publications

See a list of publications by Mayo Clinic doctors on cluster headaches on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.