THE CAUSES OF HEADACHE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 7 (Supplement)

THE CAUSES OF HEADACHE

FRUITLESS WORRY

THINKING NOT TO BLAME, How often do we hear the expression, " I gave myself a headache thinking? " Nothing of the kindl What was really meant was that the headache was caused by fruitless worry, and not by thinking. All the pure intellectual thoughts in the world can never cause the slightest vestige of a headache. But the attendant physical reactions may do so. Such reactions are the wrinkling of the space between the eyes, and weird distortions and grotestque corrugations of the forehead and brows, which denote concentration. The smooth flow of thought does not necessitate those facial contortions, but we poor humaps must' have some material manifestation of what we are pleased to term " mental energy." We must delude oursolves with an external show that we are thinking. Business Man and Student Fully 80 per cent of our headaches are caused by unduly distorting the face. Even our indulgence in hearty laughter has been known to cause terrific headaches.

The modern business man does not suffer from headaches because he is continually thinking. Bather are his headaches caused by the constant overstimulation of his ear nerves to catch every little detail, and of eye nerves so that nothing may be missed; by almost incessant peering from under the eyebrows! when the head is lowered, and by that " worried " look which he habitually adopts. The student's headaches are caused by continuous eyestrain, and never by his thoughts. Oppressive Weather When the weather is thundery and the atmosphere oppressive, people suffer a great deal from headaches. The first thing to correct those headaches is to have the eyes tested for accurate glasses. The bowels should be kept regular and the diet simple and light. If the headaches still persist a general examination may be necessary. Frontal headaches are generally duo to eye strain. A heavy, dull aching at the top of the head may be due to anaemia. The bursting, throbbing head, due to indigestion, is readily recognised. There is a more serious form of this headache, however, which frequently ushers in an attack of infectious disease. Severe Migraine

Sick headaches appear to be inherited like red hair or a Roman nose, which is seen in successive generations. The severe type of sick headache or migraine is a nerve-storm resembling an epileptic attack in many ways. There

are usually premonitory sigiia, such as depression or heaviness. A saline aperient taken at this time may avert the attack. Bed in a darkened room, m l hot " water bottle to the feet, is all that can be done during the attack, as sedatives do not give much relief. Eye strain, excessive mental fatigue or emotional strain should be avoided. Regular meal-times and plenty of open air do much to prevent attacks.