CAUSES OF HEADACHE IN HIGH-SCHOOL-STUDENTS

We studied the features, associated symptoms, causes, and remedies of headache in a nonclinical group of 68 high school students with headache. The headaches as reported by the students were relatively frequent in occurrence (at least once per week in 54.4 percent) but short in duration (less than three hours in 86.8 percent), low in intensity (mild or moderate in 95.1 percent), and infrequently associated with nausea (10.3 percent) and vomiting (1.5 percent). With regard to the causes of headache studied, the following figures were obtained: tiredness, 67.7 percent; attending classes, 60.3 percent; doing homework, 55.9 percent; preparing for exams, 54.4 percent; worrying, 54.4 percent; lack of sleep, 52.9 percent; physical exertion, 36,8 percent; skipping meals, 36.8 percent; and drinking alcohol, 27.9 percent. As far as headache remedies were concerned, 83.8 Percent of the students reported taking over-the-counter analgesics for headache and 11.8 percent prescription analgesics.