Allergies cause a whole range of symptoms, typically involving the sinuses, nasal passages, airways and skin. These areas lead to common symptoms of runny nose, sneezing and rashes, and interestingly, they can lead to headaches, too. While headaches aren’t typically life-threatening, they can be painful and distracting, so let’s discuss what’s happening with your headaches and how to manage them.
Sinus Headaches
Allergy-related headaches are most commonly sinus headaches. When your body encounters a trigger, or allergen, that it perceives as a threat, it activates the immune system and treats the allergen like a foreign invader, like bacteria or viruses. One of the immune system’s defenses is creating more mucus in your sinuses. Mucus occurs naturally in the nose and throat, and its function is to trap debris and bacteria and flush them out of the body (when you blow your nose, that’s the mucus leaving the body). However, excess mucus can build up in the sinuses and create a blockage, leading to facial pressure and even infection.
You’ll feel a sinus headache primarily in your face, in your sinus area: behind the eyes, cheekbones and bridge of your nose. The sensation may extend to your jaw and teeth if the infection is severe. It will feel like dull, constant pressure, as if a balloon is inflating behind your nose and pushing outward. The pressure will usually increase if you bend over.
Migraines
Allergies can also trigger migraines, but the exact reason this happens is not yet known. One theory is that the immune system causes inflammation throughout the body, which may stimulate or push against a key nerve to neural activity, causing a migraine. What is clear, however, is that people with allergies are more prone to migraines. If you are a sufferer of migraines, you may experience an uptick in migraine frequency during allergy season.
A migraine is an extreme headache that is very painful, usually on one side of your head. Migraines are also characterized by nausea, vomiting and a sensitivity to light and sound.
How To Treat Allergy-Related Headaches
Regardless of which type of headache you’re experiencing, you can lessen the number and intensity of your headaches by managing your allergies. Preventing allergic reactions entirely by avoiding your triggers is the best way to manage, but sometimes that’s just not possible.
Over-the-counter pain relievers, decongestants and antihistamines are all effective allergy management as well. You may find that a corticosteroid or decongestant nasal spray are effective at flushing out your sinuses, draining that excess mucus and relieving the sinus pressure.
If you have any questions about allergy symptoms or allergy headaches, call our allergists at Willamette ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery for more information. You can also schedule an appointment for allergy testing or allergy treatment, as well.
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