And now it's time for Who Smarted?
Psst, hey, smarty pants.
Sorry if I'm not my usual bubbly self today.
Unfortunately, my head really hurts.
Has that ever happened to you?
Yep, we all get headaches now and then.
Anyway, you don't mind if I take a quick nap, do you?
I'm thinking some rest might help my head.
Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
Just try to keep it down so I can sleep.
Nighty night.
Ah, here I am in dreamland where I can imagine anything and anything can be imagined.
And the best part is my headache is gone.
Of course I feel bad because I'm supposed to be doing an episode of Who Smarted.
If only there was a way to combine my dreams with making learning fun.
Hey, is that a giant pizza floating towards me?
Of course I dream about pizza.
Hi, trustee.
I am so excited to be a part of your dream.
Also, I think I can help you and the smarty pants learn about headaches.
Wait, what?
You heard me, trustee.
I am the slice of pepperoni pizza of your dreams.
But I also know a lot about headaches.
Don't ask me why.
It's a dream.
Oh, wow.
Well, in that case, I guess I can combine my nap time dream... with an episode of Who Smarted?
And then hopefully, when I wake up, not only will my headache be gone, but we'll know a lot more about headaches.
Things like, why do we get headaches?
What is actually happening during a headache?
And what can we do to make them go away or prevent them?
Oh, yeah.
I can answer those head-splitting questions and more.
No problem.
Great.
Well, in that case, get ready for a whiff of science and history on... Who Smarted?
Who's smarted?
Who's smart?
Is it you?
Is it me?
Is it science or history?
Listen up, everyone.
We make smarting lots of fun on Who's Smarted?
Okay, quick recap, because things are getting a little weird here.
In the real world, I had a headache, so I decided to take a nap.
And now in my dream, a talking slice of pepperoni pizza is going to help me and you learn more about headaches.
And, oh, in the process, maybe we can figure out what caused my headache in the first place.
Yep, this kind of thing only happens on... Okay, where do we start?
Well trusty.
The first thing you and the smarty pants should know is, when it comes to experiencing a headache, you are not alone.
Lots and lots of people, both adults and kids, get headaches.
And the frequency can range from not very often to all the time.
Okay, while having a headache isn't fun for me or anyone else, I guess it's nice to know that lots of other people get them too.
Smarty Pants, true or false?
A headache is a pain in your brain.
The answer to that question is surprisingly false.
Even though a headache might feel like your brain hurts, that's not actually what is happening.
That's because, while your brain tells you when other parts of your body hurt, your brain can't actually feel pain itself.
So, Smarty Pants, if your brain isn't what hurts when you have a headache, then what really causes you to feel pain?
Is it A, your nerves, blood vessels, and head and neck muscles?
B, your skull?
Or C, your hair?
If you said A, nerves, blood vessels, and head and neck muscles, nice job.
Sometimes your muscles or blood vessels swell or get bigger.
They might also get tighter or change in other ways that can put pressure on surrounding nerves.
The nerves send pain messages to your brain.
And you get a headache.
But what causes this to happen?
Well, that depends on the type of headache you have.
Wait, there are different types of headaches?
Smarty Pants, did you know that?
Huh, seems some of you did.
And some of you are like me.
Huh?
Whoa.
That too.
Sorry, Pepperoni Pizza, you were saying?
There are definitely different types of headaches and, as such, different things might trigger them or cause them to happen.
The most common type of headache is a tension or muscle contraction headache.
Interesting.
Smarty Pants.
Do you think this type of headache happens when your head and neck muscles are too loose, squeezing too hard or relaxed?
If you said squeezing too hard, nice job.
The word contract means to squeeze or tighten.
So it makes sense that a muscle contraction headache comes from your head and neck muscles squeezing too tightly.
What kind of pain is usually associated with a muscle contraction or tension headache?
The pain from this type of headache is usually dull and constant.
It may feel like something is pressing or squeezing the front, back, or sides of your head.
That's kind of what I was feeling before I took my nap.
But what other kinds of headaches are there?
Another type of headache is characterized by sharp, throbbing pain.
Smarty Pants, any idea what that kind of headache is called?
Is it A, a migraine, B, a migrate, or C, an ingrate?
The answer is A, a migraine headache.
Migraine headaches are one of the most common medical conditions.
Did you know?
Approximately 20 or 2 out of every 10 people suffer from migraine headaches in the USA.
And around 12% or every 12 out of 100 people experience migraine headaches worldwide.
Whoa.
Whoa is right.
That's literally millions of people.
It sure is.
Have people always gotten headaches, or are they a newer problem?
What do you think, smarty pants?
Yeah, I'm not sure either.
Historical records show people have had migraines for at least 7,000 years.
Ogg!
Me head hurts.
Me go lay down in cave.
Yep migraines have unfortunately stood the test of time and both kids and adults and men and women get migraines.
And besides having a splitting headache, people suffering from migraines often feel sick to their stomachs and might even throw up.
That's right.
As well as extreme sensitivity to light and sound, which is why people suffering from migraines often migrate to a dark, quiet room.
Well, my stomach feels fine and light isn't bothering me, so I don't think I'm having a migraine headache.
So, Pepperoni, what are some common causes for headaches?
Well, a headache might be part of another illness, like a cold... the flu or strep throat.
Okay, but other than my headache, I don't feel sick.
Is it possible to have a headache when you are not sick?
Of course.
There are plenty of internal or external triggers that can cause headaches.
An example of an internal trigger is certain emotions inside you may cause a headache.
Smarty Pants, do you think you would get a headache when you feel A happy, B sad or C excited and nervous?
If you said C, excited or nervous, great job.
Getting excited about a special event, like a party, or feeling nervous or worried about something like a test, can cause you to feel headachy.
But guess what?
That's not the only answer.
We'd also accept B.
Sadness is often linked to emotional stress or depression, which can also cause a headache.
Are you feeling excited or nervous about anything, trustee?
Or sad, perhaps?
Definitely not sad.
Of course, as the trusty narrator, I do get excited and maybe a little nervous when I have to record episodes of Who Smarted.
After all, I want the show to be great.
But I don't think that did it.
Then maybe you smelled something that gave you a headache.
Wait, smells give you headaches?
Absolutely.
Hmm, Smarty Pants, what kind of smells can give you a headache?
Strong smells, good smells, or bad smells?
If you said strong smells, nice job.
Strong smells like perfume, smoke fumes or even the smell of a new car or carpet can give you a headache.
Hey, what about smells?
If it's a strong enough smell, then yes, a smell could give you a headache.
Hmm.
Could I have given myself a headache that way?
I don't think so.
Well, since you brought up the digestive system, now is a good time to let you and the smarty pants know that some foods can also give people headaches.
Foods?
What?
Smarty Pants, what foods can give people headaches?
Go ahead, call out some guesses.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Were any of those right?
Well, for anyone who said coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and soda, you're right.
But do you know why those foods give you a headache?
It's because they have something in them called caffeine.
And caffeine can give some people headaches.
Ah, very interesting.
I will say I don't think I had anything with caffeine, so I doubt my headache came from that.
Are there any other foods that can cause headaches?
Sure.
You've probably had an ice cream headache, otherwise known as...
Brain freeze!
Ah, yes, I am not a fan of the brain freeze.
So why does that happen?
When you eat something cold like ice cream or an ice pop, it affects the temperature-sensitive nerves in your head and the blood vessels along the roof of your mouth.
In an effort to warm up your mouth, blood rushes to that area and causes a headache.
Oof, I've been there, done that.
But not today.
Well, did you eat any of those other foods that are known to give people headaches?
There's bacon, bologna, hot dogs, and unfortunately, pepperoni.
Wait a second.
I did eat some pepperoni pizza before my head started hurting.
Did you give me a headache?
Um, possibly.
Sorry.
Well, it's not entirely your fault.
I did eat you.
Sorry about that.
But what I want to know is how.
How did eating pepperoni pizza give me a headache?
Well, we'll find out right after this quick break and a word from our sponsors.
We'll be right back.
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Now back to Who Smarted.
Okay, before I took my nap, I had a headache.
And before I had a headache, I ate some leftover pepperoni pizza, which is surprising, because I usually never have leftover pizza.
But also surprising because how does pepperoni give you a headache?
Well, you see pepperoni, along with foods like bacon, bologna and hot dogs, has something called nitrates in it.
But why is it that some people can eat foods with nitrates or caffeine and be completely fine, while others get a headache from it?
Any ideas, Smarty Pants?
Well, if you get headaches, there's a good chance someone in your family does too.
Headaches can be genetic, which means your genes determine if you'll get them or not.
My jeans?
But I'm wearing pajama pants.
Not the jeans you wear.
The jeans that are the instructions for how your body will work.
Those are passed down from your family before you're born.
And before you ask, no, it's not the same as hand-me-down clothes from an older sibling.
Gotcha.
Okay, now that we know some of the reasons people get headaches, including how I got mine is there anything we can do to make headaches go away?
Absolutely.
And trusty, you definitely had the right idea by taking a nap.
Most headaches will go away on their own after you've rested or slept a while.
Great.
But what if my head still hurts when I wake up?
Can dreaming of pepperoni give me a headache too?
No.
Although, a particularly scary or stressful dream could cause you to wake up with a headache.
But as far as other things you can do, you might be able to get relief from headaches by stretching or taking a walk outside.
You could try placing a cold pack on your forehead.
Drinking fluids can also help.
And, of course, pain relief medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help with a headache if it doesn't go away after you sleep.
Smarty Pants.
If you think you need medicine for a headache, you should always check with an adult first.
By the way, Smarty Pants.
True or false, a headache is usually a sign of a more serious health problem.
If you said false, good job.
A headache usually is not a sign of anything more serious, so don't worry if you get one.
But are there ever times when you should see a doctor about a headache?
Yes.
You might want to see a doctor if your headaches are really painful.
Don't go away easily or come after you've suffered a head injury.
Ow!
If a headache is affecting your vision or comes with tingling feelings, that's also a sign to see a doctor.
I would add.
If persistent headaches prevent you from being your usual self or doing things you enjoy, happen once a month or more, or make you miss school or activities or wake you up from sleeping, that might also be reasons to get checked out.
After all, a doctor can help you figure out why you're getting headaches and find ways to keep them from happening so often.
I know some people who keep a headache diary where they write down every time they have a headache and what happened before it that might have triggered it.
I might do that when I wake up.
I'm also going to decorate today's page with pepperoni pizza stickers.
Good idea.
And again, sorry I gave you a headache.
That's okay.
Thanks for all the great information.
And while it's a bummer that pepperoni gave me a headache, the good news is I'm happy with a slice of plain cheese pizza too.
But first, I'm going to enjoy this nap a little more.
Mmm.
A big shout out to my smarty friend George in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
We hear you and your family love learning about all the crazy history and science facts, which is great because I love teaching them.
Thanks for smarting with us in one of the coolest and coldest cities in Canada.
This episode Headaches, was written by Sarah Swetik and voiced by Cherie B Tay, Adam Tex-Davis and Jerry Kolber.
Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hahn.
Our associate producer is Max Kamaski.
The theme song is by Brian Suarez, with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex-Davis.
Who Smarted? was created and produced by Adam Tex-Davis and Jerry Kolber.
This has been an Atomic Audio production.
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