Allergies and Migraine
By: Brooklyn A. Bradley, BS; Medically edited by Dr. Deena Kuruvilla, MD
As we approach summer, flowers are thriving, and so are seasonal allergies. Atopic disease is an umbrella term for a large number of disorders, such as asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), allergic conjunctivitis (affecting the eye), and food allergies [1]. For people disposed to an immune response against allergens, the consequence is an increased likelihood towards hypersensitivity reactions [1]. In today’s blog post, we will discuss this predisposition to immune responses, and how there is a connection between inflammation and migraine.
Asthma is a chronic disease that occurs in approximately 8.3% of the US population [2]. Asthma is a chronic inflammation of the lung airways that can present as coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, or shortness of breath [2]. Weather conditions such as extremely dry, wet, or windy weather can significantly worsen an asthma condition [2]. Past research has shown that patients with asthma are 1.5 times more likely to develop migraine than those without asthma [3]. Inflammation is thought to be the connection between allergic response and migraine without aura. In addition, another common factors between migraine and asthma are the occurrence of anxiety and depression.
Studies have also illustrated that people with seasonal allergies are more likely to experience migraine, and that they are 4 to 14 times more likely to experience migraine than those without seasonal allergies [4,5]. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, is caused by an allergic reaction to an allergen [6]. This allergen may be pollen, dust, or certain animals. Allergic rhinitis typically presents as congestion, runny nose, sneezing, or itching. Pain in the sinus region is seen in migraine. Sinus headaches and migraine have been linked to allergies. Migraine features such as photophobia, nausea, and vomiting can lead to a migraine diagnosis rather than sinus headache [3]. A research study showed that in patients with a history of “sinus” headache, 88% were found to truly have migraine[3]. Another study illustrated that children with persistent asthma were at an increased risk of migraine [3]. In addition, children treated with long term corticosteroid or antihistamine treatments are at a decreased risk of migraine.
Managing allergies can make a big difference for those who have allergies in addition to migraine [7]. Allergy medications like Zyrtec or Allegra-D can reduce nasal congestion and inflammation caused by allergies. It is also important to observe your allergies, first by determining whether they are related to indoor or outdoor allergens. Logging your routine and keeping track of your symptoms in a headache diary can help you to identify what made your allergy symptoms worse and when a migraine attack occurs.
We look forward to helping you at the Westport Headache Institute! Follow us for more migraine and headache information. – Dr. K
References:
- Justiz Vaillant AA, Modi P, Jan A (2023) Atopy. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing, Treasure Island (FL)
- Facts and Stats – 8.3% of Americans Have Asthma | ACAAI Patient. In: ACAAI Public Website. https://acaai.org/asthma/asthma-101/facts-stats/. Accessed 17 May 2023
- Is it my allergies? | The American Headache Society. In: American Headache Society. https://americanheadachesociety.org/news/is-it-my-allergies/. Accessed 17 May 2023
- Ozturk A, Degirmenci Y, Tokmak B, Tokmak A (2013) Frequency of migraine in patients with allergic rhinitis. Pak J Med Sci 29:528–531
- Can Allergies Cause Headaches or Migraines? https://www.excedrin.com/migraines/causes/allergies-and-migraine-headaches/. Accessed 17 May 2023
- Allergic rhinitis. https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/ears-nose-and-throat/allergic-rhinitis. Accessed 17 May 2023
- Allergies and Migraine: How Do They Affect You? In: American Migraine Foundation. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/allergies-and-migraine-how-do-they-affect-you/. Accessed 17 May 2023