Good Life Project The Truth About Headaches: Surprising Science & Groundbreaking Treatments | Tom Zeller Jr.
Aug 14, 2025
Tom Zeller Jr., former New York Times journalist and author of 'The Headache', dives into the untold truths of headaches. He shares his personal battle with cluster headaches and the stigmas surrounding them. The conversation illuminates the complexity of headache science, the evolution of treatments, and the hope brought by innovating solutions like AI and psychedelics. Zeller highlights the emotional toll of chronic pain and the necessity for empathetic understanding, blending personal narratives with medical insights.
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Personal Origin Of The Book
- Tom Zeller describes living with cluster headaches since his twenties and how he hid them from employers and friends.
- His personal struggle motivated him to write The Headache and investigate the condition publicly.
Headache Is A Big Bucket
- Medical taxonomy splits headaches into secondary (symptom) and primary (disease) categories like migraine, tension, and cluster.
- Cultural use of "headache" trivializes serious disorders and hinders recognition and support.
Gender Bias Shaped Headache Care
- Historical gender bias framed migraine as hysteria for women and ambition for men, shaping medical responses.
- That legacy still biases diagnosis and contributes to disbelief and mistreatment today.
