Allergies and Headaches

If you suffer from migraines, you may have read about a connection between allergies and headaches. Many sufferers often notice that chocolate, cheese, caffeine, red wine, and foods containing MSG trigger a headache. Although, these foods can bring on a migraine, it is not actually an allergic reaction that is to blame. In some people, their body releases irritating substances when certain foods are eaten. This is a bad reaction but not an allergic one. In general, allergies do not cause headaches.

Cause

Hay fever is the exception for an allergy that causes a headache. When you inhale pollen, your body sees it as a threat and launches an aggressive immune attack. Other allergens such as dust, mold, and animal dander cause sinus flare-ups, which causes allergic reactions. People suffering from allergies headaches may have acute sinusitis. This condition can be caused by a bacterial infection. It could resolve on its own or it may develop into chronic sinusitis.

Signs

If you notice an outbreak of allergy symptoms after housecleaning, your cleaning products might be the cause. You could be suffering from general environmental allergies and headaches brought on by overexposure to detergents and chemical solutions. For the past two decades medical specialists have been studying the correlation between allergies headaches. Sufferers often feel miserable, lose sleep, have to take time off work, and are unable to join in on fun outdoor activities.

Symptoms

Sinusitis symptoms vary greatly, from headaches allergies to fatigue. If your sinus infection has been flaring up for awhile, you may also run a low grade fever.

Preventions

To avoid headaches allergies, experts advise patients to eat organic foods and use natural based cleaning products instead of commercially prepared food and cleaners. Long before allergy shots became common, practitioners of Asian medicine prescribed natural ways to prevent allergy symptoms.

Try a Chinese herbal remedy that includes a tea and a digestive therapy. To make the tea: mix one-eighth teaspoon of coriander powder, cumin powder, and fennel seed powder into one cup of water. Steep the tea for five minutes. The prevention is part of a five day plan to prevent allergies headaches. To improve digestion use Xiao Yao Wan that is widely available in health food stores.

When suffering from allergies and headaches, you need all the allergen-free air you can get. When using an air conditioner in the car, run it at least a few minutes with the window open. This is a quick and easy way to clean and improve the air quality you will be breathing in the enclosed space. At home, make certain to keep air-conditioning filters clean by changing or cleaning them even more than the manufacturer suggests.

Treatment

For immediate relief, many sufferers will try to fight allergies and headaches with over-the-counter medications. If these medicines do not alleviate your symptoms, you should visit the doctor for a more long term solution. The doctor will most likely prescribe antibiotics if you have a sinus problem.

Try using acupressure therapy for relieving allergies and headaches. Press your fingertips to the sides of the nose, slightly above the nostrils, for about one minute at a time. Do the same to your sinuses above each eyebrow. Pay close attention to your diet during allergy season. Vitamin rich watercress is said to be an anti-allergen. Eat it in salads, sandwiches, and sauces.

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