Do Allergies Cause Headaches In The Morning

Treatment For Allergy Headaches

If your allergy headaches persist, your allergist may recommend one or more of the following treatments to offer relief.

• Pain Relievers: Advil and Tylenol can offer short-term relief for sinus pain.
• Oral & Nasal Decongestants: Available in over the counter medications, these can treat nasal congestion and relieve pressure which causes sinus headaches.
• Antihistamines: Histamines are natural chemicals in your body responsible for your bodys response to allergens. Antihistamines help block these chemicals to reduce allergy symptoms. Both OTC and prescription antihistamines are available.
• Intranasal Corticosteroids: These medications are extremely effective at treating allergic rhinitis and help reduce sneezing, itching, nasal congestion, and runny nose.
• Immunotherapy : If you dont respond well to medications or experience side effects, allergy shots may be recommended by your allergist for a more permanent solution to an allergy problem.

If youre experiencing sinus headaches and pain due to allergies, speak with your allergist for treatment options. Contact the professionals at the Allergy & Asthma Specialists of North Florida to schedule an appointment today.

What Is Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is the medical term for hay fever or allergies. You have an allergy when your body overreacts to things that dont cause problems for most people. These things are called allergens. Your bodys overreaction to the allergens is what causes symptoms.

There are 2 forms of allergic rhinitis:

• Seasonal : Caused by an allergy to pollen and/or mold spores in the air. Pollen is the fine powder that comes from flowering plants. It can be carried through the air and is easily inhaled. Symptoms are seasonal and usually occur in spring, late summer, and fall.
• Perennial: Caused by other allergens such as dust mites, pet hair or dander, or mold. Symptoms occur year-round.

Hay fever is the most common form of allergy. Symptoms of hay fever are seasonal. You will feel worse when the pollens that affect you are at their highest levels.

Rare Causes Of Morning Headache

The following medical conditions are rare causes of morning headaches:

• Cluster headache

• DNA oral appliance for sleep apnea and teeth grinding
• Mouth guards for sleep apnea
• Avoiding alcohol, drugs, caffeine, and unhealthy foods

7 tips for getting better sleep:

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How Do You Prevent Allergy Headaches

Avoiding triggers whenever possible is the best way to treat or prevent headaches.

If you arenât sure what is causing your allergy headaches, consider keeping a âheadache journalâ over a few days or weeks. This may help you identify potential causes and triggers for your allergies and headaches.

Once you have a better idea about what is causing your allergies and headaches, you can make any necessary changes to your home, schedule, or behavior. Depending on the triggers, you may need to alter the way you clean your home or the products you use, or make changes to your diet. You may have to remove specific plants or odors that can trigger your symptoms.

If you notice that your allergies and headaches are usually triggered outside, there are some options to limit your exposure.

• Stay indoors when triggers like pollen or mold are at their highest, or when it is windy.
• Keep windows closed, or avoid using window fans that can pull outdoor allergens into the house.

Muscle Tension From Poor Sleep Posture

Muscle tension is a leading cause of headaches in general, including in the early morning. When your sleep posture is poor, this can lead to strained or tense muscles, which can trigger a morning headache.

Tension headaches are the most common of the types of headache. They are caused by muscle tension, bad posture, and/or stress. Poor sleep posture or muscle tension can both cause tension-type headaches in the morning.

Stress is another cause of muscle tension and tension headaches. Going to bed with stress on your mind may cause head pain when the sun comes up.

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Causes Of Acute Headaches

• Viral Illnesses. Most acute headaches are part of a viral illness. Flu is a common example. These headaches may relate to the level of fever. Most often, they last a few days.
• Hunger Headaches. About 30% of people get a headache when they are hungry. It goes away within 30 minutes of eating something.
• MSG Headache. MSG is a flavor enhancer sometimes added to soups or other foods. In larger amounts, it can cause the sudden onset of a throbbing headache. Flushing of the face also occurs.
• Common Harmless Causes. Hard exercise, bright sunlight, blowing a wind instrument or gum chewing have been reported. So has severe coughing. “Ice cream headaches” are triggered by any icy food or drink. The worse pain is between the eyes .
• Head Injury. Most just cause a scalp injury. This leads to a painful spot on the scalp for a few days. Severe, deeper or entire-head pain needs to be seen.
• Frontal Sinus Infection. Can cause a headache on the forehead just above the eyebrow. Other symptoms are nasal congestion and postnasal drip. Rare before 10 years old. Reason: the frontal sinus is not yet formed. Other sinus infections cause face pain, not headaches.
• Meningitis . A bacterial infection of the membrane that covers the spinal cord and brain. The main symptoms are a stiff neck, headache, confusion and fever. Younger children are lethargic or so irritable that they can’t be consoled. If not treated early, child can suffer brain damage.

What You Should Do If You Have Been Waking Up With A Headache:

• See your doctor for help if youre blood pressure is high, your blood sugar is low or high, or you snore and think you may have sleep apnea.

• Work on getting in a regular sleep routine. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, getting at least 7 hours of sleep.

• Try sleeping in a different position. Also, there are pillows made specifically for stomach sleepers, side sleepers, etc., so make sure you have the correct one.

• Relax Stress is a common cause for waking up with tension headaches. Meditation, deep breathing exercises, and massage therapy can help to relieve stress.

• Cut down on caffeine. Just be aware that if you quit caffeine cold turkey, you may have temporary headaches from withdrawal.

• If youre a teeth grinder, try a night guard to help prevent clenching. If youre unsure whether you grind your teeth or not, it could be a possibility so talk with your doctor.

• Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated throughout the day can help. Dont drinking too much water before bedtime so you can sleep through the night without waking up for bathroom breaks.

• Avoid alcohol and smoking.

• Avoid chemicals or perfume that could possibly trigger your headaches.

• If you think it may be sinus or allergy related, try a Its a good idea to speak with your doctor before starting a new medication.

• Avoid certain foods. According to the National Headache Foundation, there are foods that may trigger headaches. These foods include:

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Headaches In Early Pregnancy

Nearly all women have occasional headaches, but having a headache in pregnancy is not fun. And, managing headaches is especially tricky in the first trimester when you should avoid many medicines. Whether your headache is from tension or is a full-blown migraine, there are some things you should know.

What Causes Allergic Rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is caused by the immune system reacting to an allergen as if it were harmful.

This results in cells releasing a number of chemicals that cause the inside layer of your nose to become swollen and too much mucus to be produced.

Common allergens that cause allergic rhinitis include pollen , as well as mould spores, house dust mites, and flakes of skin or droplets of urine or saliva from certain animals.

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Why Do I Have A Headache When I Wake Up

Why do we have sinus headaches in the morning? Its not like your headache has to get up and go to work like you do! Here are a few common morning sinus headaches causes: Obstructive sleep apnea: OSA is the obstruction of your airway due to a collapsed upper airway. Sinus issues can compound and contribute to sleep apnea, as well as snoring. The concurrent headache comes from arteries expanding in the confined spaces in your skull as they attempt to bring more oxygen to the brain. This type of headache typically resolves within a few hours after waking, once normal breathing has resumed.

Allergies & rhinitis: Our beds may be a refuge for us to come home to after a long day, but theyre also a haven for allergies, which can easily get trapped in our mattress and sheets. If your allergies are triggered when you hit the sack, your nose may become engorged with blood, which in turn activates the trigeminal nerve and produces a headache.

Other causes: Chronic morning headaches arent necessarily sinus headaches. Frequent morning headaches may also be signs of bruxism , insomnia, or hypnic headaches .

Certain Medications Or Supplements

Headaches are also a side effect of some over-the-counter medications and prescription drugs. While you may want to take medication for the head pain, that can contribute to a cycle of chronic headaches. Alternatively, overnight withdrawal from the drug can trigger a headache in the morning.

Drugs that can contribute to headaches include:

• Opioids

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Which Type Of Diabetes

Both hypo- and hyperglycemia can trigger headaches and migraines. They can be super painful, with a throbbing or pulsing sensation on in your head. You might also feel weak, nauseous, and sensitive to light or sound.

Diabetes-related headaches can cause other symptoms too, depending on whether your blood sugar is too low or too high.

• Low blood sugar headaches can leave you feeling faint, shaky, nauseous, or sweaty.
• High blood sugar headaches may be accompanied by feeling super thirsty or having to pee more than usual, fatigue, or blurred vision.

First up, when you notice that throbbing pain coming on, start by checking your levels. The American Diabetes Association recommends aiming for these targets:

• Between 80 and 130 mg/dL before meals
• Less than 180 mg/dL 2 hours after meals

If your blood sugar is below the target range, try having 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbs like glucose tablets or gel, juice, regular soda, or sugary candy.

If you dont start to feel any better within 15 minutes, have another 15 to 20 grams of fast-acting carbs. This can help bring your blood sugar back up and start to ease your headache. After, have a healthy meal or snack to keep your levels stable.

If your blood sugar is above the target range, you may need to adjust your insulin levels or take a supplement of short-acting insulin.

Say it with us: Extreme blood sugar swings can be life-threatening. No bueno.

Keep Your Sleeping Environment Allergen Free

You need your sleep, so, the room you sleep in needs to be cleaned often to remove pollen, dust mites, and other allergens. Vacuuming under the bed helps in this effort by removing allergens living underneath it. A home-remedy that helps keep your bedroom allergen free is to wipe down hard flooring, molding and the walls near your bed with white vinegar. Mold is an allergen that enjoys living on dark walls and floors. Dehumidifiers can help keep relative humidity at the recommended levels of 30-50% and air conditioning to maintain temperatures at 70 degrees F or below will retard dust mite and mold growth. Hardwood flooring is best.

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Why Do I Wake Up With A Headache Every Morning

When youre a migraine or headache sufferer, waking up with a headache can seem like a cruel twist of fate. While this is never a fun way to start your day, in most instances morning headaches arent indicative of a serious issue. Below are some of the most common reasons why you might experience a headache when you wake up every morning and tips on how to cope.

Experiencing migraine headache? Sinus headache? Do you need immediate help and relief? Find a location near you to get connected with our headache professionals immediately. Search National Headache Institutions

Sometimes Your Allergy Headaches Are Triggered By Indoor Exposure Some Prevention Measures For This Include:

• Properly maintain air conditioning and furnaces, and change air filters regularly.
• Use allergy-friendly covers for pillows, comforters, mattresses, and box springs.
• Keep your homeâs humidity between 30 and 50 percent to discourage mold.
• Clean floors with damp rags or mops, since dry-dusting or sweeping can stir up possible allergens.
• Wash your hands after handling animals and wash your clothes after visiting homes with pets.
• Replace carpeting in your home with hardwood, tile, or linoleum to reduce dust and pet dander collection.
• Avoid using products with strong fragrances, such as scented candles or air fresheners.

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When To See A Doctor For Morning Headache Pain

The bottom line is that head pain combined with neurological symptoms, like those mentioned at the beginning of this article, are always considered abnormal until proven otherwise. Therefore, if you wake up with a headache and any symptom that feels off to you, your headache then falls into the Pain-Plus category, which means its best to see a healthcare professional.

This is especially true if you feel like youre experiencing adult-onset migraines. In most cases, migraine sufferers start getting them in their teens or 20s. Therefore, if youre already in your 30s, 40s, or older and start developing what you think are migraines, or if you feel unfamiliar neurological symptoms, consult your doctor.

How To Evaluate Morning Headache Pain

The first step in evaluating your morning headache is to notice whether you have any neurological symptoms. This will help determine whether your headache pain needs urgent medical attention.

Keep in mind that morning headache pain with no neurological symptoms usually means that its just a tension or sinus headache. This type of pain is common and represents 90% of all headaches. The remaining 10% of headaches that come with other neurological symptoms are typically either migraines or headaches from ailments like earaches. While unpleasant, these types of headaches are usually not concerning, either. Only a very small percentage of headaches with neurological symptoms require immediate medical attention. The key is to identify these rare instances, which is why knowing how to recognize abnormal neurological symptoms is vital.

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When Should I Be Concerned

When a headache is severe, or just doesnt go away, or when you have dizziness, blurred vision, or changes in your field of vision, you should contact your healthcare provider. Headaches can sometimes be related to blood pressure problems in pregnancy. If they are persistent or severe and happen after 20 weeks of pregnancy, let your healthcare provider know. Although strokes during pregnancy are rare, migraines can increase a pregnant womans risk for them. If you have migraines, report them to your healthcare provider.

Reasons You Could Be Waking Up With A Headache:

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Allergies And Sleep Apnea

When you have to wrestle with your allergies each night at bedtime, you may fitfully toss and turn and then wake up exhausted. It feels like you slept for maybe an hour or two. As you drag on with your day, bleary-eyed and dead tired, its easy to assume youre so exhausted because your stuffy nose, eye itchiness, and coughing kept you awake.

While that could be true, you could also be dealing with sleep apnea without even knowing it. Obstructive sleep apnea is a form of sleep apnea associated with allergies. The nasal symptoms of your allergies make you snore when you might regularly dont. The sound of your snoring, while very distracting to a partner, can even bother you, causing you to wake up again and again throughout the night.

The upper airway is obstructed with this sleep apnea, either somewhat or all the way. Since your airway cannot open, the lungs dont get as much air unless your chest muscles and diaphragm strain.

You can have obstructive sleep apnea and not even know it because youre barely aware of whats causing you to keep waking all night. Here are the other symptoms:

• Constant exhaustion that makes it hard to get out of bed
• A choking or gasping feeling that wakes you up, even several times a night
• Snoring
• Mood changes, depression, feeling forgetful, and difficulty with concentrating on tasks
• Morning headaches
• Sore throat and/or dry mouth in the morning