Is it inherited? Will I pass this on to my children?

Short answer: the risk is slightly higher than average, but still low.

• Cluster headache can run in families, but it’s not strongly inherited like some genetic disorders.

• About 5–15% of people with cluster headache report a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) with it.

• That suggests a genetic susceptibility, not a single “cluster headache gene.”

• Even if a parent has CH, most children will never develop it.

What’s likely inherited is:

• A tendency toward hypothalamic / circadian rhythm vulnerability

• Possibly trigeminal nerve sensitivity

• The condition usually still needs environmental or biological triggers to actually appear

So in practical terms:

• Your children’s risk is higher than the general population, but still well under 1 in 10, likely much lower.

• Most children of CH patients do not develop cluster headache.