(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Author: Katherine Cobb-Pitstick , University of Pittsburgh

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com .

Why do people get headaches? – Evie V., age 10, Corpus Christi, Texas

Whether sharp and stabbing or dull and throbbing, a headache can ruin your day. But your brain doesn’t actually feel pain . So what is going on when it feels like your head is in a vise or about to explode?

I am a child neurologist – that is, a doctor who specializes in diseases of the brain in kids. Most of my patients are kids and adolescents who are struggling with headaches.

Head

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