For Relatives · CKVÖ

You are supporting someone
with cluster headache.

It is not an easy role. The Cluster Kopfschmerzen Verein Österreich (Austrian Cluster Headache Association) offers you guidance, exchange with people in the same situation and practical support – so you can be there for someone without losing yourself.

Membership · What you get

What the association offers you as a relative

Relatives are not a supporting act. In the CKVÖ you are just as welcome as those affected themselves.

Understanding

Making sense of the condition

Cluster headache is one of the most intense forms of pain there is. If you understand why the person affected reacts the way they do during an attack, you can support them better – and protect yourself better too.

Online group

Exchange with people who understand

Relatives are welcome in the association’s moderated online group too. Share experiences, ask questions, learn from others – without geographical boundaries.

Counselling

Psychosocial support

Relatives reach their limits too. Psychological counselling is available via clusterberatung.at – for those who need support while they themselves are supporting someone.

Self-help

Meetings in person

Our self-help meetings in Vienna are open to patients and relatives alike. Direct contact with people who know similar everyday situations.

Practice · Practical help

What really helps

No guide can cover every situation – but a few basic principles have proven themselves in practice.

During an attack

  • Stay calm – panic is contagious.
  • No talking, no questions: the person affected is usually unable to hold a conversation.
  • Have oxygen ready, if available.
  • Offer the chance to withdraw – don’t insist on it.

In everyday life

  • Document triggers together (sleep, alcohol, light).
  • Keep spontaneous plans as flexible as possible during a cluster period.
  • Not all restrictions are permanent – periods do end.
  • Communicate your own limits before your reserves run dry.
Membership

Become a member now

You can become a member as a relative too. You strengthen the community, gain access to everything the association offers and help make cluster headache more visible in Austria.

Questions before joining? verein@clusterkopfschmerzen.at or directly via our contact page.