What You Need to Know About Allergies and Headaches

Can migraine headaches be linked to certain allergies? While many migraine sufferers do believe certain foods such as cheese, chocolate, red wine, caffeine and monosodium glutamate (MSG) - most commonly found in Chinese food - can trigger an allergic reaction and bring on a migraine; this popular belief isn’t entirely true. Doctors say the phenomenon responsible for these food triggered headaches is more of a bad reaction than an allergy. As we know, each person’s bodily makeup is different, so when some people come in contact with certain foods or even smells, their bodies produce irritating substances. It is these substances that are actually responsible for the headaches, not the foods or smells.

While allergies alone don’t usually cause headaches, there are some exceptions. One of these exceptions is hay fever induced headaches. Hay fever is one of the worst allergies you can suffer from. Hay fever is considered a true allergy in the sense that your body will launch a massive, aggressive immune response to combat the danger it perceives when pollen is inhaled. Other exceptions include headaches caused by allergies to mold, dust and animal dander.

In all of these cases of true allergy induced headaches, the headaches are actually caused when the nasal passages and sinuses become inflamed as a result of exposure to an allergen. This condition is commonly known as sinusitis. Those suffering with this condition often lose sleep, are unable to work and even feel too miserable to enjoy normal leisure activities. Since the problem lies with the sinuses, buying over-the-counter allergy medications won’t really help the condition at all. At this point, it is best to consult your doctor. He can prescribe medicine that will help keep your body from reacting to the allergens, thus preventing the headaches.

Main Symptoms of Sinusitis

There are a variety of symptoms associated with sinusitis. These symptoms include an overall feeling of malaise, a headache, and nasal discharge that is yellow-green in color. You may also have a general feeling of overall fatigue and tiredness. Severe or on going cases of sinusitis can also be accompanied by a fever.
 

Differences between Acute and Chronic Sinusitis

Within the disorder of sinusitis, there are two subgroups of the condition. Acute sinusitis usually doesn’t last long, but is still very unpleasant. While acute sinusitis is most often present in people who suffer from allergies, it can also be caused by a bacterial infection, such as a common cold. If the source of allergy is removed, acute sinusitis will usually resolve itself. If you continue to be exposed to the allergen, however, acute sinusitis can persist and eventually become chronic sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis, which is a much more difficult condition to treat, tends to recur several times within the year.
 

Treatments for Sinusitis

If you suspect you might suffer from sinusitis, it is always best to see your doctor as soon as possible. He will generally prescribe you a course of antibiotics, which should clear the infection and its accompanying unpleasant symptoms within a few days. If your sinusitis becomes chronic, however, your doctor will probably recommend that you see an allergy specialist who is better trained to treat your problem.

In order for your allergy doctor to make a proper diagnosis, a complete medical history and certain allergy tests will be required to tailor your allergy treatments to your specific allergies. Sinusitis should be treated as soon as possible because if left untreated, it can cause further problems with the nose, eyes and middle ear for months, or even years. It is best to consult your doctor if you have any doubts.

So next time you hear someone say they have a food allergy which causes headaches, you will know the real story. Only true allergies like hay fever actually cause headaches, foods cause a bad reaction which results in a headache.