Question

Which one of the following is not characteristic of cluster headaches?

A. Attacks of short duration of 3 hours or less
B. Daytime attacks
C. Male predominance
D. Sharp, severe, retro-orbital pain
E. Cyclical pattern of occurrence mainly in Spring and Fall seasons

Answer 1

Cluster headaches typically include severely painful, short-duration attacks, male predominance, and a cyclical pattern, but they are not characterized by strictly daytime attacks, as they often peak at night.

Step-by-step explanation:

The characteristic that is not typical of cluster headaches is B. Daytime attacks. Cluster headaches are intensely painful headaches that occur in cyclical patterns or clusters. They are marked by several key features:

1. Attacks of short duration typically lasting from 15 minutes to 3 hours.
2. A male predominance, with men being more likely to suffer from these types of headaches than women.
3. Sharp, severe pain that is often retro-orbital, meaning it is located around or behind the eye.
4. A cyclical pattern where episodes frequently occur during a particular time of year, commonly in the Spring or Fall seasons.

Although attacks can happen at any time, they are often associated with night episodes, peaking around 1-3 hours after the individual goes to sleep, rather than being strictly limited to daytime occurrences.