Symptom 7: Pale or Flushed Facial Skin: A Visual Sign of Cluster Headaches
Here’s another unexpected twist in the tale of cluster headache symptoms: changes in facial color. Yes, the severe pain can prompt a noticeable shift in the complexion on the affected side of the face. It can cause the skin to become either distinctly pale or oddly flushed during an attack.
One moment, you’re looking at your usual reflection in the mirror. The next, you see a face that’s half its normal color and half unusually pale or red. It’s disconcerting, to say the least. But as strange as this may seem, it’s a typical manifestation of a cluster headache.
The reasoning behind this lies in the body’s circulatory response to pain. During an attack, the blood vessels in the face might constrict, leading to paleness. Alternatively, they might dilate, causing a flushed appearance. Both these reactions are part of the body’s complex response to the severe pain.(7)
