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.

Packed with practical advice and information from a neurologist--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?