Fariello: Masks can cause headaches, headaches can cause crashes

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The CDC has attempted to reassure all the obedient mask wearers by claiming that the very worst consequence of wearing a mask may be a slight headache. Store workers I have talked to tell me they are all getting bad headaches, which are making them sick. What they are not being told is that their allegedly inconsequential headaches can make them and others dead. 

I have taken some flack from a few people who claim that I cannot prove this; however, any well-trained accident reconstruction expert (which I am) knows that a headache can of itself cause a car crash. Here’s some of the proof. 

“Influence of Headache and Craniofacial Neuralgia on Driving” was published by MAPFRE in Spain. MAPFRE is roughly Spain’s equivalent of America’s Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The organization represents the interests of insurance companies and purports to advocate for the interests of consumers and particularly drivers. 

Notice this statement in the article concerning the effects of headache: “Many drivers experience headache that becomes even more severe when they are driving in the city. They become irritated, uneasy, and intolerant to traffic. They drive clinching their teeth in such a way … that causes them to be even in a worse temper while driving.” 

Let that sink in. Irritated. Uneasy. Intolerant of traffic. Bad temper. 

Now take a look at the attached portion of Northwestern University’s Traffic Crash Reconstruction manual. Notice the section titled “Condition factors contributing to traffic collision causes.” The table lists “emotional upset,” “pressure,” “stress,” “irritants,” “fatigue,” and many other causes. The connection of these factors listed in Northwestern University’s manual to what MAPFRE said in Spain is quite obvious. Indeed, there is an “Influence of Headache and Craniofacial Neuralgia on Driving,” an influence that can get you and/or others killed in a car crash. 

Now take a look at an article written and documented by Deborah Leader RN, BSN, PHN. The title is “Low Oxygen Symptoms: Signs You may Not be Getting Enough Oxygen.” Some of the listed symptoms are “Confusion, restlessness, HEADACHE, dizziness, lack of coordination, visual disturbances.” Headache, etc. Hmmmm. Lots of “signs” that could cause an accident! As per Nurse Leader’s article, below 95% pulse oxygen saturation “is considered low oxygen saturation.” 

Can wearing a mask cause your oxygen saturation to drop below 95%? I have heard of anecdotal evidence that it can, and I intend to perform some tests with various masks to verify that. But does the oxygen saturation percentage really matter? Does the carbon dioxide level really matter either? We know for sure that elevated CO2 in the blood all by itself can cause headaches long before CO2 toxicity is reached. 

The underlying biochemical cause of the headache is not the critical issue relevant to accident causation. What we know for sure is that wearing a mask often causes headaches, and the CDC admits this. We know that headaches of themselves are enough to cause car crashes. So if masks cause headaches, and headaches cause accidents, then wearing masks can potentially cause accidents. 

Every large employer must carry lots of liability insurance. A Spanish insurance organization states that headaches can cause car crashes. Employees leave work with their head pounding from a mask-induced headache. Are America’s insurance companies ignorant of what they know in Spain? I can see all sorts of liability issues here.

Sal Fariello, Gainesville