Headache and health in the Brazilian Imperial Period

Abstract

Treatment of headaches always has been a challenge for people and health care professionals. The purpose of this article is to review the treatments found in bibliographic sources of the Brazilian Imperial period, and make a narrative description. The sources consulted, such as the "Chernoviz Manual" and the writings of Sigaud revealed that the treatment of headaches was frequently based on homemade treatments or Amerindians herbs recipes. Only recently headache was included as a relevant issue to medicine, as well as its scientific approach. This article provides information about the view at that time concerning to the etiology of headaches and ways of treatment, to trace a narrative scenario of these aspects in the nineteenth century in the Empire of Brazil.