Which Allergies Cause Headaches
Here are some of the common allergies that can lead to headaches:
- Allergic rhinitis . If you have a headache along with seasonal and indoor nasal allergies, its more likely due to a migraine headache rather than allergies. But pain related to hay fever or other allergic reactions may cause headaches due to sinus disease. A true sinus headache is actually quite rare.
- Food allergies. There can be a relationship between food and headaches. For example, foods like aged cheese, artificial sweeteners, and chocolate can trigger a migraine in some people. Experts believe its the chemical properties of certain foods that trigger the pain, as opposed to a true food allergy.
- Histamine. The body produces histamines in response to an allergic reaction. Among other things, histamines decrease blood pressure . This can result in headache.
Treat an allergy headache the same way that youd deal with any other headache. If allergies are the source of the headache, there are ways to address the root cause.
Why Does Perfume Give You A Headache
How is this possible? How can perfumes cause head pain? Perfumes are natural, right? And their ability to make you smell like a bouquet or field of flowers is unmatched.
If those were your thoughts, sadly they are not 100% correct. Perfumes used to be made of botanical ingredients. However, these days, the perfume industry gets the vast majority of its components not from flowers and herbs, but from crude oil and turpentine oil.
In fact, it is a well-kept secret in the fragrance industry that 95-100% of the ingredients used in perfumes are synthetic . Whats more is that the cost of the actual perfume is 2% of the total price of the perfume product on shelves For more information, read Why perfume is so expensive.
Apart from allergic reactions like severe headaches and migraines, other symptoms of fragrance allergies can include a runny nose, watery eyes, and even asthma attacks.
Are you starting to get worried about the health effects of these perfumes? Well, there is no need for panic, but there is reason to be careful.
While people who get perfume migraine can control their own use of perfume, it seems that undesired fragrances can pop up anywhere. WebMD gives a couple of examples:
- You smell a co-workers fragrance
- You visit a house with scented candles
- You walk into the beauty section in the department store
- You smell fragrance strips in a fashion magazine
Symptoms And Causes Of Allergy Headaches
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology , both sinus headaches and migraines can be linked to allergies, although there is some suggestion that what many people believe is an allergy headache is in fact a migraine or tension headache.
If you are experiencing a headache in the front of your head as well as your sinuses, ears, or teeth, it may be caused by your allergies. Other signs and symptoms that the head pain you are experiencing may be connected to your allergies include a runny or itchy nose, nasal congestion, and itchy or watery eyes.
An allergy headache can be triggered by certain foods or smoke, pollen, mold, dust, and other allergens, as well as by stress or nasal and sinus congestion.
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What To Do For Sinus Pressure And Pain At Home
Here are the top 10 at-hometreatments to help ease your sinus pain and inflammation to get rid of your sinus infection faster.
When Should I Seek Medical A Care For A Sinus Headache
- Sinus headaches and infections may sometimes be successfully treated at home .
- However, you should seek medical care if you are not sure what is causing your symptoms or if you have signs of a severe infection including high fever, symptoms that do not resolve with time, or if over-the-counter pain relievers are not effective in controlling the pain.
- You should also seek care if you notice swelling in the face that accompanies the pain, swelling around your eye or changes in vision, since this could be a sign of an abscess.
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Allergies Could Trigger Migraine Attack In A Few Different Ways
It makes sense that allergies could trigger an attack in people who are predisposed to migraine, says Hamilton. If you’re having a lot of allergic symptoms, and you’re having a lot of inflammation in the body, that could make you more prone to migraine attacks in general, she says.
Some experts believe that the histamine release that happens during allergic reactions can potentially also play a role in migraine, she says. There are potential mechanisms that could explain an increased propensity for migraine when you’re having seasonal allergies, says Hamilton.
Histamine is a chemical found in some cells that can be released when a person is allergic to something, and it causes many of the symptoms of allergies. Histamine release may be involved in triggering a headache, specifically migraine, according an article published in March 2019 in The Journal of Headache and Pain.
Allergies may indirectly contribute to migraine by disrupting sleep, says Strauss. If youre very uncomfortable from all this congestion and postnasal drip, that could even be a trigger for headache, she says.
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How To Prevent Sinus And Allergy Symptoms
If you experience allergies, there are ways you can reduce your exposure to allergens and prevent symptoms:
- Track pollen counts. On sunny or windy days, there will be more pollen in the air. Check your local forecast to see when pollen counts will be highest.
- Shower and change after spending time outside at Grand Park. Youll want to remove allergens right away so you dont spread them through your home.
- Install a HEPA filter. These high-efficiency particulate air filters can reduce the amount of allergens in your home or office.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an allergy expert, call the House Institute today.
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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.
Secret #: Get Rid Of Your Tension Headache
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache people complain about. As you can imagine, this type of pain is caused by stress and tension. While over the counter pain relieves usually work, they can lead to rebound headaches .
How can you get rid of a tension headache fast? Try some of the following:
If you feel like you have tried everything, and you still suffer from chronic tension headaches, speak with your doctor or chiropractor about what your next steps should be.
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How Is A Sinus Headache Diagnosed
- Usually, a careful history and physical examination can establish the diagnosis of a sinus headache. Blood tests are usually not necessary.
- In some cases, the healthcare professional may order a CT scan to obtain images of the sinuses, but this is not common. A negative CT scan and examination can help rule out sinus disease.
- Other causes of headaches, including migraines, may initially present with symptoms thought to be from sinus inflammation.
Antihistamines For Sinus Headaches
The other possible cause of sinus headaches is an allergy and antihistamines are the best medications to treat allergies. The body experiences allergic symptoms and reactions due to a hormone that is released in the body, named histamine. This leads to the formation of excessive mucus and it blocks the nasal passage or the sinus cavity. Antihistamines block the release of histamine in the body. Thereby, the sinus cavity will not be inflamed as a result of the allergy. Thus, the fluid in the sinus cavities would be reduced.
There are many popular antihistamines that are commonly used for treating sinus headaches like Diphenhydramine and Loratadine. The older antihistamines can cause drowsiness in most people. On the other hand, the newer antihistamines like Loratadine do not cause as much of drowsiness in healthy adults. Still, if you are taking the antihistamines, it is advised that you do not drive at that time. Even, operating any machinery after taking the antihistamines must be avoided.
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How Do You Get Rid Of A Perfume Headache
What can you do to relieve the pain?
Also asked, how do you stop a perfume headache?
The best way to prevent scent-relatedheadaches is to avoid strong scents as much aspossible. Don’t wear perfumes and stay away from those whodo. When it’s time to purchase household products, choose unscentedproducts as much as possible.
Similarly, how do I stop being allergic to perfume? Keep Fragrances Away
In this manner, can you get a headache from perfume?
But for some migraine sufferers, odor may play abig role in the quality and occurrence of their head pain.Osmophobia, or a heightened sensitivity or aversion to smells, is acommonly reported symptom of migraineheadaches.
What are the symptoms of perfume allergy?
Some common symptoms of perfume allergy include thefollowing:
- mild to severe headache.
- skin irritation, itching, and rashes.
- sneezing, coughing and runny nose, also called allergicrhinitis.
- breathing difficulties, dizziness, and fatigue.
- muscle aches.
- watery, red, and itchy eyes.
- wheezing.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Could anything else, such as a cold or the flu, be causing my symptoms?
- How do I figure out what Im allergic to?
- Is my allergy seasonal?
- I am allergic to _____. Am I at risk for any other allergies?
- What changes can I make at home to relieve my symptoms?
- Will any over-the counter medicines relieve my symptoms?
- What should I do if my symptoms get worse or dont respond to the treatment youve prescribed?
- Do I need to see an allergy specialist ?
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When To See A Doctor For Sinus Pain
If your sinus symptoms are not getting better with at-home treatments, and if your sinus symptoms last longer than seven to 10 days, you should see a doctor for treatment. Allina Health has many convenient care options for care, from online visits to walk-in care, to help you get better fast.
If you have frequent or reoccurring sinus infections, you may want to see an ear, nose and throat for your treatment options.
If Your Headache Feels Connected To Your Allergies The Aaaai Reports It’s Most Likely A Sinus Headache
These headaches are often triggered by nasal or sinus congestion , and the pain is usually centralized in the middle of your face, behind the eyes and nose.
Sinus headaches, specifically, happen when your sinuses become swollen, thus causing a build-up of pressure and icky congestion, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Usually, these headaches become less painful when you move from lying down to sitting or standing up, which might explain things if you tend to wake up with an awful, splitting headache in the morning during allergy season, but seem to feel better as the day goes on.
If you don’t feel better as the day progresses , don’t panic. Just because an allergy-related headache isn’t going away, that doesn’t mean you’re totally doomed, or that it’s a sign of something bigger.
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Treating Allergies Could Help With Migraine
There are certainly scenarios where treating allergies may help headaches, says Strauss. But what we want to avoid is spending years cycling through tons of allergy medicines if someone is having severe headaches. There are other medications wed want to try, she says.
If you have migraine attacks that seem to really be triggered by certain changes in the environment for example, higher pollen or if there is really a lot of nasal congestion or runny nose, then I think it may be worth exploring the role of allergies, says Hamilton.
Strauss suggests keeping a yearly calendar year to see if there are certain months or seasons when migraine attacks become a problem.
This can tip you off if its related to something in the environment, and you could talk with your doctor. It may help to take preventive migraine medications or allergy medicine during those months, she says.
Ragweed Allergy Triggers Including The One Drink To Always Avoid
Almost one third of people living with a ragweed allergy also experience an allergic response to certain other foods, including cucumbers, melons, zucchini, sunflower seeds, bananas and/or chamomile tea. Even echinacea can trigger a reaction.
Thats because the proteins found in some types of produce are very similar to the proteins found in certain types of pollen. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, these proteins can confuse the immune system and cause an allergic reaction or make existing symptoms worse, which is referred to as cross-reactivity. In the case of pollen and foods, the result of cross-reactivity is called oral allergy syndrome.
That may seem surprising, especially since these things usually fall under the health food category. Lets take a closer look at at herbal tea, in particular. Do you ever swap coffee with tea or pour a cup to unwind after a long day? Chamomile tea is a popular option, as its full of antioxidants, reduces inflammation and improves digestion.
But for people suffering from ragweed allergies, chamomile tea can be giving you something extra a slew of symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, headaches and irritated eyes. Chamomile is good for a lot of things, but if youre living with a ragweed allergy, you should probably avoid this drink.
And get this: If you dont have allergy symptoms already, chamomile tea can actually set them off. And if you are suffering, the tea can worsen symptoms.
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So Can Allergies Give You A Headache
For the record, yes, allergies can cause a headache, says Anastasiya Kleva, MD, a board-certified allergist at ENT and Allergy Associates NY. They can cause a lot of pain, particularly around the sinuses, she says.
How? You inhale allergens, which cause inflammation in your nose, explains Lakiea Wright, MD, an allergist/immunologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston and the medical director at Thermo Fisher Scientific. If your nose is congested, the inflammation can also spread to your sinuses. When inflammation accumulates in your sinuses, then you can get a headache.
Allergies can also cause your ears to get clogged, and that can lead to a headache, says Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist and immunologist with the Allergy & Asthma Network.
What Is The Connection Between The Sinuses And The Jaw
We have sinuses between our eyes, in the cheekbone and above the bridge of the nose, which means that they take up a considerable amount of space in the facial area. When the sinuses become swollen and inflamed, the pain and pressure that we feel in these areas can easily move to the jaw. This causes jaw pain, as well as headaches, earaches and general facial tenderness and discomfort.
If you suffer from allergies on a regular basis, it can be difficult to know if your sinuses are your main concern, or whether you are suffering from TMJ. In many cases, however, both of these issues play a part.
Some common symptoms of seasonal allergies and sinus inflammation include a stuffy nose, headaches, pain in the ears, a sore throat, and swelling or tenderness in the face, especially around the nose and eyes. Some of the symptoms of TMD can feel quite similar ear pain and pressure, headaches, jaw pain, and swelling of the face can all occur.
Also, if you suffer from congestion, it is likely that you breathe through your mouth this can lead to additional pressure on the jaw.
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