So you think you might have a Head-Ach?

Head-Achs certainly are tricky things that can hit you while you are dressing for a masquerade or while you are on your way to confession. No matter where you are when it strikes you, Head-Achs are painful. Just because Head-Achs are not a leading cause of death in our time does not mean we approach it with the less diligence or attentiveness. In fact, helping patients with an ailment such as a Head-Ach is sometimes the most important endeavor we undertake here because we can teach you how to manage the pain in the future.

A Head-Ach is a most perplexing ailment because it is not characteristic of a particular gender, social class or behavior. It plagues sailors, upper-class women and even servants and has a history as old as the Earth. The first mention of Head-Achs stretches far back to ancient Egypt where the Ebered Papyrus, the oldest known medical manuscript, details suggestions for curing Head-Achs. (60) The manuscripts recommended those in pain tie a ceramic crocodile and herbs around their head. Thankfully, the methods used at TPIH are a little more medicinal.

Symptoms:

First let's make sure your condition meets the symptoms:

Are you experiencing discomfort in the muscles, membranes and nerves of your head? Well it's probably a Head-Ach. Like the colleagues of our time, we believe they are caused when fluid in the head expands in either quantity or motion. (61)

Treatments:

In order to treat the Head-Ach, we need to determine the source of the pain.

The first thing we try to determine is if the Head-Ach is connected to pains in the stomach. It is necessary that we examine your stomach because the nerves in the head and stomach seem to be sympathetic. Often when a patient experiences a pain in their head, we have found that he or she often feels nausea or even vomits. (62)

For those experiencing Head-Achs, there are some diet changes that can alleviate the pain. The most proper diet consists of gruel and tea, but not meat. (63) Our staff can then administer powders and liquors to be "snuffed up the nostrils." (64) Once taken, they produce effects on the skull and stimulate olfactory nerves. The stimulation of these nerves produces a more rapid flow of fluids to the nostrils and the patient is relieved. Lotions may some times be a suitable means to treat these as well. (65)

If it is not a Head-Ach that is connected to the stomach then we must discover whether your pain is external or internal. In order to assess if the Head-Ach stems from external pain, one of our staff members will use a finger to apply pressure to the aching portion of your head. If more pressure is felt when the doctor is pressing, the pain is external and therefore less severe. (66)

In accordance with the medical knowledge of our time, we believe external headaches result from one of three causes. They can be caused by pressure in the blood affecting the nerves, or by acrid particles in the blood making contact with affected nerves or by the constriction of capillary arteries when patients are in a cold environment. (67) Treatments for these Head-Achs can include dilutents to thin the blood or external applications of liquor and herbs. (68)

Leeches are an integral part of our therapies here at TPIH.

Internal Head-Achs stem from pressures against effected nerves or by particles brought into contact with the extremities of the effected nerves. (69) Head-Ach treatments for these include applying leeches to the patient on their temples or behind the ears. (70) Following this practice, it is proper to give an emetic, which will induce vomiting in the patient. Doctors may also choose to create a powder mixture to administer to patients through the nostril. (71)