may help relieve this type of headache (Figure20.35). Mild pain relievers such as ibuprofen
may also help.
Figure 20.35: Sometimes relaxation is the best “medicine” for a tension headache, and to
help muscles get rid of pain. ( 6 )
Amigraineis a more severe type of headache. It occurs when blood vessels in the head
dilate, or expand. This may be triggered by certain foods, bright lights, weather changes, or
other factors. People with migraines may also have nausea or other symptoms. Fortunately,
migraines can often be relieved with prescription drugs.
There are many other nervous system diseases. They include multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s
disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, these diseases rarely, if ever,
occur in young people. Their causes and symptoms are listed inTable(20.3). The diseases
have no known cure, but medicines may help control their symptoms.
Table 20.3: Other Diseases of the Nervous SystemDisease Cause Symptoms
Multiple Sclerosis The immune system attacks
and damages the central
nervous system so neurons
cannot function normally.Muscle weakness, difficulty
moving, problems with coor-
dination, difficulty keeping
the body balanced
Huntington’s Disease An inherited defective gene
codes for an abnormal pro-
tein that causes the death of
neurons.Uncontrolled jerky move-
ments, loss of muscle con-
trol, problems with memory
and learning