Which statement best describes cluster headaches?

• A. Bilateral throbbing temporal pain
• B. Unilateral periorbital pain with Horner-like syndrome
• C. Gradual onset with photophobia
• D. Daily, chronic mild headaches

Answer: (B)

Cluster headaches are marked by severe, unilateral periorbital or temple pain that comes in short, repeating attacks and is accompanied by autonomic symptoms on the same side, such as tearing, nasal congestion, and, notably, ptosis and miosis—often described as Horner-like features. This combination of intense unilateral periocular pain with ipsilateral autonomic signs is the hallmark that sets cluster headaches apart from other headache types, like tension-type or migraine, which typically have bilateral or throbbing pain with photophobia but without this specific pattern of Horner-like autonomic involvement. The described statement best fits cluster headaches because it captures both the side-locked pain location and the accompanying Horner-like autonomic signs.