As if Space Travel Was n’t Enough, Astronauts Also Experience Headaches in Orbit

22 of 24 International Space Station ( ISS) visitors experienced headaches almost three times as frequently as they did while on Earth, according to a study looking at astronaut health. A new research published in Neurology found that even some pilots without prior experience migraine may experience migraine and tension-type problems while 10 days or more in place. The triggers remain vague, according to the study’s author, W. P. J. van Oosterhout, of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. He stated in a press release that” changes in weight caused by space journey affect the performance of many parts of the body, including the head.” Studying Space Headaches Before MissionsHealth screenings were performed on astronauts from the European Space Agency, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Additionally, they filled out surveys describing their past headaches. They spent the first seven days and the following weeks completing the questionnaires when in place. The differences were dramatic. Nine pilots reported no headaches prior to their ISS journey the previous year. Three of the people mentioned having a pain that impacted their life at the time. None of the people had a migraine diagnosis or had a history of recurring problems. The pilots reported 378 headaches while they were in place. Of the entire headaches, 170, or 90 percentage, were tension- form and 19, or 10 percent, were head. None of the people who once returned to Earth experienced problems for the first three weeks. Read More: Why and How Do Astronauts Find Sick in Space? Why are Astronauts Getting Headaches? Van Oosterhout is a connoisseur of the idea that the area of the brain accountable for balance and posture receives various signs in gravity. This dilemma can lead to space-motion disease, which frequently manifests as pain. But, drawing an obvious link between gravity and headaches may prove tricky, according to van Oosterhout. Due to the study’s comparatively small number of participants, cause and effect cannot be established quantitatively. And the” personal- reporting” of migraine is considered a less compelling dimension than one certainly involving the astronauts ‘ opinions, instead of, say, a dentist’s separate measurements. However, there is a striking difference between the frequency and severity of headaches in room and on Earth. According to van Oosterhout, the next step includes further research into both the cause and the treatment of” place problems.” According to Van Oosterhout, “further research is needed to find the main causes of space headaches and discover how such discoveries may lead to insights into headaches occurring on Earth.” Read More: Astronauts Have a High Rate of Back Pain Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine .com use reliable sources for our papers while our readers check their work for its scientific accuracy and editorial requirements. Review the options used below for this article: Head &amp, Life. American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. Frequency and Clinical Features of the Space Headache Experienced by Astronauts during Long-Haul Space Airlines