Splitting: The inside story on headaches

by Amanda Ellison

Overview

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?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781472971395
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	01/11/2022
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.89(w) x 7.88(h) x 0.64(d)

About the Author

Professor Amanda Ellison is a physiologist and neuroscientist at Durham University. Her wide-ranging research has thrown new light on addiction, pain, and headache in particular, and her work on how different parts of the brain talk to each other has led to new ways to regain functions lost following brain damage. She is the director of an outreach programme targeting schools, patient groups, and the wider public, and is passionate about improving lives through the sharing of scientific and wider academic knowledge. Professor Ellison has commented on various issues in the media most notably the phenomenon of man flu, and whether beer goggles really exist. @ellison_brain

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: And so it begins

Chapter 2: Brain freeze

Chapter 3: Sinus, sensation and snot

Chapter 4: Stress and the vicious circle

Chapter 5: The cacophony of cluster headache

Chapter 6: What's a migraine?

Chapter 7: What causes migraine and what can we do about it?

Chapter 8: What's next?

Editorial Reviews

An insightful, entertaining book.” —Daily Mail

“From ice cream headaches to migraine, this fascinating and entertaining account of a common curse draws together modern science, ancient views and personal experience.” —Professor Roy Taylor, author of Life Without Diabetes

“Most of us have experienced a headache at some point in our lives. Neuroscientist Amanda Ellison has the lowdown on why we get them and busts some commonly believed myths about their triggers” —Daily Mirror

“I have suffered from migraine for many years now, and have never before read such a clear explanation of what is happening to me during a migraine attack.” —The i

“An insightful look at all manner of head pain” —Spirituality and Health magazine

From the Publisher