Are Allergies Causing Your Migraines?

Painful migraine headaches can have many triggers, among them environmental and food allergies. The precise mechanism for how allergens trigger migraines is still unknown, but these are the most common theories:

• Sinusitis. The most common cause of a migraine is allergic sinusitis. When an allergic person is exposed to an allergen, like dust, mold, pollen, animal hair, or skin, the sinuses become swollen. This swelling might cause migraines by triggering the nerves in the brain to react to the change in pressure. The nerves then send signals to the brain that trigger the various symptoms of migraine, like the headache, intolerance of light or sound, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
• Allergic rhinitis (seasonal and indoor nasal allergies). Studies have found that the odds of having migraine headaches are significantly higher in people with allergic rhinitis compared with those without allergies.
• Food allergies. It’s commonly thought that food allergies cause migraines. Certain foods such as chocolate and aged cheese can trigger migraines. The reaction is likely a drug-like property of the food rather than a true food allergy. However, there’s no clear-cut scientific evidence of a connection, and further research is needed.
• Histamine. Histamine, the chemical produced by the body in response to an allergic reaction, might play a key role in triggering migraines by means of swelling. Thus, it is helpful to properly test for various allergies to environmental allergens, foods, and medications in order to assess the extent of allergy in an individual patient.

Treatment Options for Migraines
If you suspect your migraines are due to seasonal or food allergies, here’s what you can do:
• Avoid triggers. Treatment of the underlying nasal/sinus allergy can be useful if you have migraines and allergies, but it is only part of the treatment program when you have physician-diagnosed migraines. Avoidance of allergic triggers at home, including using bedding covers for dust mites and removing a pet from the home, or at the very least from the bedroom) is recommended. Also, comprehensive allergy management with environmental modification through HEPA air filters, mattress/pillow encasings, and so forth, as well as medications and/or allergy injections to assist individual sufferers of migraine headaches who also have allergic rhinitis.
• Take care of your sinuses. Allergy and sinus treatment can include rinsing the sinuses with a natural saltwater rinse or irrigation. Nasal antihistamines and nasal steroids treat underlying allergic rhinitis by decreasing the swelling in the nose and sinuses. Antihistamine/decongestant combinations, like Benadryl, help with nasal and sinus blockage as well.

For some, these measures may not be enough. Therefore, if allergy treatments do not improve the headaches, migraine-specific medications should be tried. Ask your doctor about what prescription medications would be best for you. Get an evaluation from an experienced physician or neurologist if you have persistent headaches. Keeping a headache diary that includes your daily intake of foods, alcohol, supplements, and medications can help identify headache and migraine triggers. There is usually an overlap of causes of migraines, and your family history as well as your personal medical history needs to be closely looked at to find other possible contributors to your migraine headaches. There is help for people who suffer migraines with allergies. Dietary modification, allergy shots, medications, and environmental modifications can all help in treating underlying allergies that co-exist with migraine headaches.

Seasonal Allergens
People with allergies are approximately 14 times more likely to report migraine headaches compared to those without allergies. In fact, pollen is the most common seasonal allergy although weeds and grasses are also prevalent. These allergens contribute to hay fever, which can also include migraines as a symptom. Limit contact with season allergies by immediately removing any clothing worn outdoors as soon as you re-enter work or home. Windy days will make it more difficult to avoid contact with allergens. If you suffer from severe migraines due to allergies, wear a mask around your nose and mouth whenever you go outside.

Environmental Allergens
Environmental allergens are usually present year round. However, you should be able to better control your environment to avoid these triggers. For instance, pet dander, dust mites and strong smells are common migraine triggers. Cleaning products with high bleach content or strong perfumes are the most common forms of smells that produce an allergic reaction that instigate migraines.

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