The high number of reported episodes suggests space headache "is a common and often isolated, disabling complaint," said the authors of the paper.
Credit: NASA
Astronauts are traditionally reluctant to reveal all the physical complaints they experience in space, partly out of fear that this may prevent them from making future missions on medical grounds. In this case, the respondents were guaranteed anonymity.
The high number of reported episodes suggests space headache "is a common and often isolated, disabling complaint," said the authors of the paper.
It should be classified as a separate category among headaches attributed to "disorders of homeostasis," they added. Homeostasis means the body's ability to regulate itself in response to changes in the external environment.
