Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches

A leading neurologist lifts the lid on head pain – a fascinating, accessible guide to headaches, with some practical advice along the way – from what causes migraines to how sinus pain happens to whether we should just reach for the painkillers and ignore the root causes. This is Why We Sleep for the head.

There is nothing novel about headache. Since time immemorial, humans have suffered in its grip. Medieval Persia was a hotbed of intense debate over how to avoid and subsequently cure headache, and castor oil seemed to be prevalent as a remedy. Thankfully we have moved on. Darwin became a recluse because of his headaches, but on the bright side, this gave him more time to stay at home and think about the origin of the species. I doubt any modern human sees their headache as being a blessing, but it is trying to tell you something. How do we find out what that is? What is the point of pain?