Ask Doctor Cory.

Dear Dr. Cory:

If you swallow helium gas, will it make you have a smaller or larger voice? What makes that happen?

Samuel Freeman
Staten Island, New York

Dear Samuel:

Your voice is created by air from the lungs flowing up the trachea (TRAKE-ee-uh) and across the vocal cords, making them vibrate. Helium is lighter than air, so it causes the vocal cords to vibrate more and makes your voice sound higher.

Remember inhaling helium can be life-threatening. Helium replaces a person's oxygen and can cause dizziness, unconsciousness, and death.

Helium inhaled from a pressurized helium tank can rupture the lung's air sacs. This can cause death quickly.

Dear Dr. Cory:

I know how you get ice cream headaches, but what causes just regular headaches? I get them all the time. I want to know what causes them, and if there is anything that I can do for them.

Jamie DiBello
Paris, Texas

Dear Jamie:

Many things can cause headaches, for instance infection, an allergy, or dental problems. Skipping meals, not getting enough fluids, sleep problems, and medicines can all cause this problem.

Headaches, unless sudden and severe, usually are not serious. This could be a sign of other problems within the head or with the central nervous system.

If you have frequent headaches, or you are not helped by non-prescription medicines, see your doctor.

Dear Dr. Cory:

Why do people get migraines? I get migraines. It hurts really bad in my head, so I have to take aspirin.

Bianca Ulrich
Address withheld

Dear Bianca:

There is a strong connection between the serious disease, Reye's syndrome, and aspirin. Children should not take aspirin. Most headaches respond to a mild pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

The cause of migraines is unknown. We do know they occur when arteries in the head tighten and then expand, possibly irritating nerve endings.

Migraines often run in families. Certain things bring on migraines, such as stress. Some foods also are thought to trigger them.

If your migraines are frequent and keep you from your daily routine, such as going to school, prescription medicine may help.

Sincerely, Cory SerVaas, M.D.

Dear Diary,

Identifying what triggers migraines and then avoiding those triggers may help prevent migraines. A "headache diary" can help.

Every time you get a headache, write down what you were doing before it began, how long it lasted. what you were eating or drinking, and what seemed to make it better.

The information in the notebook might help you and your doctor discover the cause of your headaches.