The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-10-25
PAIN In THE HEAD.

OF the numerous tri1ing ailments in
cident to this life, none is more demon
alizing than headache. The persons
who are never troubled so are very
rare. They are equally fortunate.
Common as is the occurrence of this
complaint, it never appears in the NOR
tuary lists as a cause of death. Indeed,
headache, of itself, is no disease at all.
1t does, however. occur frequently in
the course Of many very diverse mall
conditions While thinking of head
ache. the reader should remember that
in the head are located a number of inn
pOrtant organs in addition to the brain,
and that the brain, by means of the
nerves, is in very intimate relation with
the abdominal cavity and contained or
gans, arrangement of any of which is
quite capable of originating grievous
headache. As has Just been intimated,
pain may recur at regular intervals in a
definite part of the head and be due to
n cause entirely foreign to the brain.
Such pain i'm the head is fifty termed a
periodic headache.
A good way TO get a comprehensive
idea of headaches is to consider them
i'm groups according to their cause,
thus: Headaches due to systemic con-
ditiCns, as rheumatism; headaches de-
tant from the head, as, for instance, the
digestive apparatus, and, lastly, head
aches due to change of structure or de-
rangement of function of organs within
the head itself Pain in the head from
the last-named causes is well illustrated
by the headache which so frequently
follows the infiction of violence directly
upon the head. The pain in such a
case is usually due to a change in the
membrane covering the brain, condi-
ton technically called meningitis. Tu-
mOrs pressing upon the brain investure
will often cause pain in the head very
like that of meningitis. The headache
generally experienced by persons who
have survived sun-stroke is of similar
character. Disease of the bones OF the
skull viii also cause persistent and Sc
we're pain in the head. Affections of
the teeth and of the membrane lining
the upper part of the nose, also
diseased conditions of the eye and ear,
are believed to, and doubtless frequently
do, cause pain in the head. Pain from
affections of the ear is mostly felt in the
region of the head corresponding to
the position of this organ. Frontal
headache is very generally felt by the
individuals who suffer from chronic
nasal troubles. Pain in the head from
defective sight is provoked and aggra-
waited by the use of the defective eye
for near work.
arrangements of the heart and di-
gestive apparatus are quite common
causes of pain in the head. Headache
is also provoked by changes in other
organs quite distant from the head. A
characteristic headache is that in which
the pain is felt most severely upon the
top of the head. Reflex headache is n
very good name for this pain. The way
in which heart troubles cause headache
is purely mechanical. An enlarged
heart or one temporarily Over-eNcited
from some cause pumps an undue guam
tity of blood into the cranial cavity,
which is an unYielding space. The un-
usual amount of blood now present in
this space pressing upon the sensitive
parts of brain produces q pain in the
head which is called u congestive head
ache. This pain is made worse by any
excitement or by STOPPING, a fact that
helps TO Indicate the nature of the case.
The pain felt i'm the head after unusual
libations and also after some undue
mental effort is probably of this nature.
Headache from arrangement of the
digestive apparatus is probably the most
frequent of all. AtrocioUs headaches
these are. They generally happen
cOllttHlD8 ike lhlSs InG NlClln rises
from bed in the morning feeling a tritle
off, with perhaps y sense of uneasiness
i'm the stomach and "A slight pain in one
temple. As the day advances the pain
in the head and general distress in
crease, and by afternoon the individual
reckOns that his head is fit to burst, and
doesn't care very much if it would do
SO; presently an attack of vomiting and
perhaps slight diarrhca occurs, and
then the pain gradually disappears, to
return again, however, when the neces-
sary conditions are present for its eX-
istence. These are the typical sick head
aches, some of the victims of which de-
clare they have inherited the trouble
There is considerable likeness between
the condition just described and sea-
sickness.
The pain in the head very usually CO.
incident with the onset of some febrile
complaints is a very good example of
headache from general systemic con-
ditions. In this case the circulation of
Initiated blood probably provokes pain,
neuralgia in character.
individuals who have inherited
strongly-marked nervous tendencies.
and who from any cause may be in poor
general health, are very liable to have
pain shooting up through the temples
and back Of the head. These pains
are often followed by soreness Of the
scalp. They also are neuralgia in
character, and are especially obstinate
in the aged. Coincident plumbic dead
or malarial poisoning increases the sus
ceptibility of individuals to these pains
Rheumatic persons often have pain in
the head, also accompanied by sore
ness. Such headaches are, as a rule
promptly relieved by rheumatic treat
men,. This also gives a hint as to the
nature of these pains. There is an af
lection called by the medical meT
tuberculosis, which is really a sort of s
low grade of Inflammation. This aflec
ton occasionally attacks the mem
brane covering the brain, and ther
causes the characteristic pain of menin
gifts before referred 10, Tapping tbs