Sakanaction’s Ichiro Yamaguchi Reveals Cluster Headache Symptoms: “Drooling Nonstop, All I Can Do Is Endure It”

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The story

Ichiro Yamaguchi (45), frontman of rock band Sakanaction, spoke about his chronic cluster headaches during the late-night broadcast of Nippon Broadcasting’s “All Night Nippon” on September 1. On his own social media, he had explained, “It flares up on a 2-3 year cycle, and once I enter a cluster period, I end up living with the attacks for about two months.” On 5ch’s Entertainment/Sports Breaking News+ thread, people who’ve experienced the same cluster headaches or migraines chimed in with comments like “It’s like having your eyeball gouged out” and “It’s so painful it’s nicknamed the ‘suicide headache,’” along with exchanges of tips on remedies like Imigran and oxygen inhalation, with many voices showing sympathy for his ongoing struggle.

9/2 (Wed) 17:15

Ichiro Yamaguchi (45) of rock band Sakanaction appeared on Nippon Broadcasting’s “Sakanaction Ichiro Yamaguchi’s All Night Nippon,” which aired late night on the 1st. He spoke about the symptoms of his chronic cluster headaches.

That same day, Yamaguchi had announced via his own social media, “My chronic cluster headaches have started up again. I think I’ve mentioned this before, but in my case, cluster headaches occur on a 2-3 year cycle, and once a cluster period begins, it lasts about two months. So for a while now, I’ll be living alongside these attacks.”

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

What people said

2AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:50
Watching Birkin-kun on YouTube is way more fun than watching Peace-kun from Omiya Park (both are apparently nicknamed park animals/mascots).
5AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:52
Same for Yuki Goto, and it was the same for me too. But it stopped happening once I hit around 40. Turns out it really does fade with age.
6AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:53
Paaaain, wooounds… (´・ω・`) (drawn out in a sing-song, mocking tone)
7AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:54
Whoa, seriously? I'm done being a Chunidora fan then. ("Chunidora" — fan nickname/abbreviation, exact reference unclear)
8AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:54
I feel like people really don't get how brutal these symptoms are. There are people out there saying stuff like "if it comes back next time, I'm ending it."
9AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:54
Is this also one of the symptoms of depression?
11AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:55
Isn't he just pushing himself too hard again lately and burning out? Bipolar or something, not sure.
13AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:56
Re: #9
Could well be one of the causes, I'd think.
16AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:59
Re: #13
I looked it up, and apparently this can be a risk factor for developing depression.
I wonder if that's what's going on with Ichiro? Sounds like it's excruciating — hope he can push through it.
38AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:20
Re: #16
Apparently Nagura's depression came from a physical injury too (herniated disc surgery). (likely referring to comedian Jun Nagura)
14AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:58
You should never let someone with cluster headaches near a gun. Apparently the pain gets so bad some end up shooting themselves in the head.
15AnonymousSep 2, 2026 20:58
I rarely get headaches, so on the rare occasion I do, it's incredibly painful. Take care of yourself.
18AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:00
I had an ocular migraine (scintillating scotoma — flickering blind spots in your vision) a few months back and it was rough — but Yamaguchi's must be way worse.
44AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:30
Re: #18
A long time ago I had this dull headache with nonstop yawning, and I thought, "yeah, my autonomic nervous system is shot," and then my vision got blurry and I started seeing flashing lights. Hasn't happened since.
21AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:03
Man, that sounds rough. I don't really know what to say, but I hope the pain eases up for him.
22AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:04
I wonder if, tracing it back, it could actually stem from hearing loss.
23AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:04
If it's coming from the nervous system, medication probably won't touch it.

The only option is to numb it out.
24AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:06
Loxonin barely works on most kinds of pain. (a common Japanese OTC painkiller)
25AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:07
Loxonin doesn't even work on it?
That's rough.
28AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:09
I just watched a short clip yesterday of Dr. Ii, the doctor-turned-comedian. Apparently he had an ambulance called on him over a migraine, and ended up getting better with a once-a-month injection that costs 10,000 yen. Take care of yourself.
69AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:17
Re: #28
I was surprised Ii Takuma's actually pretty tall and has a good build.
29AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:10
This is brutal… it's literally nicknamed the 'suicide headache.'
30AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:11
If it's over in 2-3 hours, that's easy mode.
Mine lasts all night.
75AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:35
Re: #30
That's not 'easy' at all…
31AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:12
Loxonin's just a painkiller, not an actual headache medication, and it's not great for your organs either. I had bad migraines for a long time, so I was on prescription migraine medication the whole time.
32AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:12
> He's currently seeing a headache specialty clinic and getting medication prescribed. Yamaguchi said, "Until you find the medicine that works for you, it's like a journey through hell."

Does the medicine even work?
34AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:16
It felt like my eyeball was being clawed at. The last time I had it was around age 40 or so. Haven't had a single symptom in over 10 years now. Hooray for aging.
35AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:16
Wasn't it already established that the cause of this is oxygen deficiency?
43AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:28
Re: #35
So you just breathe oxygen and it's fine?

Nerve pain is just brutal no matter what.
37AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:19
I got postherpetic neuralgia and painkillers barely worked on it. Apparently you still have to take them anyway. They say if you just tough out the pain it gradually gets worse — makes you wonder which is really the lesser evil, that or the side effects.
40AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:25
I get headaches and always figured it was migraines — pain behind one eye. Is this actually a cluster headache?
45AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:31
Re: #40
Mine's both eyes.
Brutal, right?
56AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:56
Re: #40
Have you tried an over-the-counter rhinitis spray with lidocaine in it?
I also get that intense behind-the-eye migraine type, and headache meds do nothing for me, but the rhinitis spray works like a charm.
41AnonymousSep 2, 2026 21:26
Isn't "drooling nonstop" kind of an exaggeration?
Does it really get that bad?
83AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:50
Re: #41 Re: #77
Cluster headache pain is often described as "like having your eye gouged out with a red-hot iron rod or a drill."

Many people can't bear that pain and end up taking their own lives.
65AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:08
I've heard of a drug called Imigran.
There are videos out there of people hooked up to an oxygen tank, banging or pounding on their own head just trying to get through it.
67AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:11
Re: #65
Imigran is a migraine medication.
68AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:14
Re: #67
An Imigran injection or nasal spray works. If that's still not enough, inhale medical-grade pure oxygen for 15+ minutes.
70AnonymousSep 2, 2026 22:18
Re: #67
Self-injection is actually an approved treatment for cluster headaches.

Background and Key Points of This Topic

Cluster headaches are a type of headache marked by intense, one-sided pain running from behind the eye to the temple. Once triggered, attacks tend to strike at the same time of day for several days running, forming what’s called a “cluster period” that can last from several weeks to several months, alternating with symptom-free stretches. It’s more common among middle-aged and older men, and its prevalence is considerably lower than migraine’s — but the pain is so severe that overseas it’s sometimes called the “suicide headache.” Treatment relies less on over-the-counter painkillers and more on standard attack-time measures like injections or nasal sprays of triptan-class drugs (such as Imigran) or inhaling high-concentration oxygen, which is likely why so many commenters on the thread noted that Loxonin doesn’t work. While people who’ve experienced the same symptoms traded notes on the intensity of the pain and how to cope with it, some comments expressed skepticism about just how severe the condition really is, highlighting a gap in understanding.

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Entertainment/Sports Breaking News+) thread “Sakanaction’s Ichiro Yamaguchi Reveals Cluster Headache Symptoms: “Drooling Nonstop, All I Can Do Is Endure It”.”

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