EMERGENCY MEDICINES.—If anemia is the cause, give tonics such as iron and arsenic. If the patient feels faint and nauseated, a small cup of strong hot coffee gives relief, sometimes. Antipyrin, given early in doses of two and one-half grains often relieves. Take another dose in one-half hour if necessary. But such remedies are hard on the heart.
TREATMENT. Preventive in Sick Headache.—The patient is often aware of the causes that bring on an attack. Such causes should be avoided. A great many people who are afflicted with this trouble are not only careless in their eating, eating anything and everything and at all times—at meal time and between meals—but also careless in their habits of life. Patients should avoid excitement, like card parties, etc., staying up late, or reading exciting books. The meals should be regular, no food taken that is hard to digest. Pies, cakes, puddings, gravies, ham, pork, sausage, and fried foods must be avoided. Rich, greasy foods will not do for such persons to eat. Strong tea and coffee are bad. Plenty of water should be taken between meals. At meals it is better to take no water unless it is hot water. Every morning on arising it is well to drink a large quantity of either cold or hot water. This washes out the stomach, bowels and kidneys, and stimulates them to better perform their functions. The bowels must be kept regular, one or more passages a day and at a regular hour. Sometimes, especially in younger persons, the eyes are at fault and may need glasses. Frequently it is caused by overwork in school in young girls, especially during their menstrual periods. Social duties cause them in many women, and then strong tea or coffee, or headache powders, or tablets, are taken to keep up or to stop the pain, making the patient more liable to the attacks in the future; and then still more tea, coffee, and headache remedies are taken until the patient is a slave to the remedies taken to help her. A great many of these headaches can be helped by simple measures, and the time between the attacks, in about all cases, made longer if the patient will but work with the physician, not only at the time of the attack, but in the interval. The clothing should be comfortable. The feet should always be kept dry. This applies especially to neuralgia. In fact the above measures of prevention and care apply to all kinds of headaches and neuralgias. Prevention is worth more than the cure.
MOTHERS' REMEDIES. 1. Sick Headache, Hop Tea Will Relieve.—"Hop tea is very good if a good strong decoction is made. A wineglassful may be taken every half hour or hour until relieved." This is very easily prepared, as the hops may be purchased at any drug store.
2. Sick Headache, a Favorite Remedy for.—"Aconite liniment or aconite rubbed on the forehead will relieve the pain in the head almost instantly. One drop of the tincture of nux vomica in a teaspoonful of water every five or ten minutes will quickly relieve." Nux vomica is good only when the headache comes from constipation and stomach trouble and too high living.
[NERVOUS SYSTEM 275]
3. Sick Headache, Aromatic Spirits of Ammonia for.—"For a nervous headache there is nothing better for immediate relief than fifteen or twenty drops of the aromatic spirits of ammonia." This relieves the pain and quiets the nerves and stimulates the heart.
4. Sick Headache, Camphor Application for.—"A very simple but effective remedy is a cloth wet with spirits of camphor and sprinkled with black pepper applied to the head gives almost instant relief."
5. Headache, Soda and Peppermint for.—"One teaspoonful (level) of soda in two-thirds glass of hot water, add five or eight drops of oil of peppermint and a little sugar. Drink quite warm. This has been often tried and proven to be a success." The soda will relieve any gas in the stomach and the peppermint aids digestion and relieves sickness of the stomach.
6. Sick Headache, Lemon Good for.—"One lemon before breakfast will help to keep off sick headache. Have never found a remedy to cure sick headaches. A sack of hot salt will always help the pain." The lemon will help to tone up the stomach and the salt applied to the head will help the pain by relieving the congestion. It is always well to take a good cathartic after a spell of sick headache.
PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Sick Headache.—