Does anyone know of any documented proof that long hair causes migraine headaches?
The reason I ask is because my 16 year old son has this head full of curls. He also has what we believe to be bad migraines. He is a good guitarist and is growing it out like most rocker teens have the custom of doing. I think it is to mimic his musical heroes.
Here is a bit of history. Of course, my wife opposes my son growing long hair, since her father does. Three or four months ago, my father in law started to pressure my wife and bring up his hair as a topic for discussion and how it is a disgrace for a man to have long hair. Her and I talked about it and I told her that he is 16 and trying to find out who he wants to be and is experimenting with different "looks" and will eventually moderate himself into what he will be. My son is a homebody, he doesn't drink alcohol, do drugs, or really do much of anything destructive except perhaps drink a little too much Nestle's Quik and cringe at his vegetables.
Well then Dad approaches me and we talk about it and I tell him that frankly I do not have an issue with my son's hair and that when I do I will deal with it, but for now I approve. He was really cool about it and I thought the issue would be dropped. Nope, not to be. A few weeks ago we were at the doctor's office and he brings up that his brother approached him and told him that if he was my boys grandpa that he would have already straightened him out about it. Well, my father in law told him that it isn't his place to say anything since the boy has his father and the issue should be dropped.
Well, on Monday my FIL tells me that his brother is still on a rant and he wants me to know that no matter how much pressure he gets, he will not interfere with my son. I told him that I appreciate it very much. Well apparently he has begun to interfere. Because on Wednesday I took my son to yet another doctor for his headaches. His pediatrician referred him to an excellent neurolgist over in Tulare. she gave him a very thorough examination and an extensive and detailed interview and found that he has a bad case of TMJ. She told me to buy him a mouth-guard, take him for an MRI, and then for some lab work and to return for the test results next month. I say that dad has begun to interfere because before disclosing the diagnosis and potential fix for his pain, my FIL comes over with a cure while we are still at the doctor's office.
He tells my wife that he knew a guy at work and two of his sisters that had to cut their long hair in order to relieve their migraines. I couldn't believe that he is going there. He told my wife that between our skull and our scalp we have nerves, and long hair traps heat and burns the nerves, thus causing the onset of a migraine. Well, my lovely wife took this gem from her father and with the greatest of intentions told my boy. This is when we told her the doctor's findings. She is stuck on the haircut because her dad said. My boy is no dummy. He really doubts the claim as do I. especially since we just spoke with a doctor who showed us a reasonable diagnosis that he has TMJ and not migraines.
So, my son and I have been researching online and I even went to my college library to find proof for this claim. The only connections between hair and migraines I can find are a study done on head position while shampooing your hair. Apparently, sticking your head in a basin will angle your neck so as to trigger a migraine. My son showers and shampoos in there. The other connection is having too tight of a ponytail will cause a tension headache......
So, my plea to you is for any sort of proof or disproof that migraines are caused by long hair.
Thanks for patiently reading this novel.....
Here he is:
Oh, by the way.....his hair is even longer than in this picture now and I have begun to grow my hair out in support of my son.