Allergies and Migraines Linked

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

05 Sep 2006 02:45 PM

A recent study of children and adults with nasal allergies found that there may be a link between allergies and migraines. Histamine, the compound that causes allergy problems may also help trigger migraines. During an allergic reaction, your immune system releases histamines.

The study looked at nearly three hundred people -- both children and adults -- and the presence or lack of migraine symptoms. For people with allergic rhinitis (also known as hay fever), a third of the participants met the diagnostic criteria for migraines. For study participants without allergy issues, only four percent of participants met the diagnostic criteria for migraines. When the study results were tallied, it seemed that patients with allergies were fourteen times more likely to have symptoms of a migraine than patients without allergies.

Researchers from Allergy & Asthma Care PA of Haddonfield, New Jersey, think that this result makes sense. Histamine, a chemical involved in allergic reactions, causes inflammation and blood vessel dilation.

Past studies have shown that many headaches thought to be caused by sinus pressure may actually be migraines instead. Migraines are known for throbbing pain, often concentrated on one side of the head, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound. They can also come with facial pressure and nasal congestion -- symptoms often attributed to a sinus headache. These shared symptoms can sometimes make it hard to distinguish between a migraine and a sinus headache.

Making the distinction between a sinus headache and a migraine is important for proper treatment. Both kinds of headache can be treated with common painkillers, but migraines may also require special medications. The researchers don't see any evidence that taking antihistamines (for hay fever and allergies) can help relieve migraines. Antihistamines don't generally treat blood vessel dilation. Instead, researchers are looking at using topical steroids to help treat migraines in people with allergies.

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Tristi Pinkston (10839) 05 Sep 2006 10:33 PM

Headaches are definitely caused by food at least some of the time. I had a major breakthrough when I finally figured out that I'm allergic to corn. I had a headache almost constantly for about two years, and after I got off of corn, they stopped. (Until I eat more corn or something really annoying happens) The thing is, corn is in everything. It's maltodextrin, dextrose, corn starch, corn solids, food starch, xanthan gum -- you really have to read your labels carefully to avoid various forms of things you're allergic to. But when you can avoid them, it changes your life!

Aimee Amodio (11995) 07 Sep 2006 07:57 AM

Wow, Tristi! I can't imagine how hard it must be to avoid corn... you're right, it's in just about everything. I saw an interview recently with Michael Pollan, who wrote a book called "The Omnivore's Dilemma" which is about the problem of corn being everywhere. (Okay, he was interviewed on The Daily Show or maybe the Colbert Report, but it was still a very interesting interview that made me want to look for the book.)

Tristi Pinkston (10839) 07 Sep 2006 12:00 PM

I will have to go hunt down that book! I actually discovered my allergy by reading "Eat Right For Your Type." I'm a B and B's shouldn't have corn. I tried the diet for a month and the headaches went away. I don't live the diet completely (too hard to stay away from tomatoes and chicken) but the corn was a keeper.