Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Boy, 5, suffers headaches triggered by laughter

His parents have been asked to keep a diary to record the frequency and severity of the headaches.

Boy, 5, suffers headaches triggered by laughter

After suffering from painful headaches for a year, a five-year-old boy has been diagnosed with a strange condition that gives him headaches whenever he laughs or giggles, the Mirror reports.

The youngster, who is from the west of Ireland, was reportedly taken to Mayo University Hospital in Castlebar, County Mayo where the diagnosis was established.


However, by the time he was seen at the hospital he was reported to be having headaches every day.

According to the Mirror, whenever the headaches occur, the boy grasps his head with both hands and sits or lays down on the floor.

The case was featured in the Irish Medical Journal, which said the pain feels like a tightening sensation around the head, and lasts several seconds each time, Galway Beo reports.

Though the brain X-rays and examinations initially found nothing out of the ordinary, an MRI scan reportedly confirmed that the child had Chiari Malformation.

Following the discovery of his ailment, a referral was made to a tertiary neurological centre for further management, the Mirror said.

The NHS states there are 4 main types of Chiari Malformation, but type 1, called Chiari I, is the most common.

"In someone with Chiari 1, the lowest part of the back of the brain extends into the spinal canal. This can put pressure on the brainstem, spinal cord, and obstruct the flow of fluid."

Chiari 1 malformations are not considered life-threatening.

The young boy is supposedly a (Gaelic football) GAA player and his condition does not interfere with his everyday activities, Galway Beo informs.

The Mirror explains that laughing is the only action that causes the headaches while other actions such as sneezing and coughing doesn’t.

The condition is reportedly often asymptomatic and at the time of the review, the boy's headaches were becoming less frequent but more severe, the Mirror reports.

His parents have been asked to keep a diary to record the frequency and severity of the headaches.

The medical report reportedly states that laughter is a rare trigger for headaches, and it is the first case of it seen happen in a child so young, the Mirror said.

More For You

Police Recover £1M Stolen Jewellery in Hounslow, Owners Sought

The jewellery was largely taken from London’s South Asian community in Hounslow between 2023 and 2024. (Photo: Met Police)

Stolen jewellery worth £1m recovered in Hounslow, police seek owners

POLICE are seeking to reunite stolen jewellery worth over £1 million with its rightful owners after recovering the items during a proactive operation across London and the home counties.

The recovered collection includes identifiable pieces such as a World War One officer’s Rolex watch, a gold locket containing old pictures, an engraved gold ring, and an engraved gold pocket watch from Harlow Bros Ltd.

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

iStock)

Government announces fund to combat anti-Muslim hate

THE UK government has announced a new fund to monitor anti-Muslim hate and support victims, with applications opening on 7 April.

The initiative aims to track incidents, raise awareness of hate crime, and provide better victim support.

Keep ReadingShow less
Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

FILE PHOTO: Entrance of Manston short-term holding centre for migrants, near Ramsgate in southeast England. (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)

Probe launched over racist broadcast at Kent asylum centre

AUTHORITIES have launched an investigation following reports that a racist message was broadcast over portable radios at an asylum processing centre in Kent.

The incident occurred at the Manston site, where small boat arrivals are processed by the Home Office and its contractor, Mitie, reported The Guardian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

Sri Lankan animal rights activists take part in a demonstration in Colombo on April 3, 2025, to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Narendra Modi. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Protest against dog crackdown ahead of Modi's Sri Lanka visit

SRI LANKAN animal rights activists marched on Thursday (3) to protest the round-up of stray dogs a day ahead of a visit by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Authorities in Colombo and the Buddhist pilgrim city of Anuradhapura have reportedly deployed dog catchers to impound hounds ahead of Modi's visit, which begins on Friday (4).

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-trump-getty

Donald Trump and Narendra Modi hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House on February 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Explained: Impact of US tariffs on Indian exports

The United States has announced a 27 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian goods entering the American market.

Industry experts have said these duties will pose challenges for Indian exports, though India's position remains more favourable than some of its competitors.

Keep ReadingShow less