Who among us hasn't experienced that piercing headache? Triggered by stress, allergies, or sinusitis. What if it's a migraine? And what if your favorite perfume triggers it? What can you do to soothe these painful headaches?
Migraine headaches typically begin in the morning, on one side of the head. The pain can last for several hours or up to three days. The pain ranges in intensity from moderate to debilitating. It may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Sensitivity to light, sounds, sudden movements, and even
smells —including perfumes — can exacerbate the symptoms . Therefore, the best solution for sufferers is a quiet, dark room where the migraine can subside in peace.
The mechanisms behind migraines are unclear. However, a few things are certain. Migraines can be hereditary—a person may inherit a tendency to migraines—or environmental—specific triggers. Triggers we cannot control include weather, air pressure, and hormonal changes. Triggers we can control include stress, food, smoke, light, noise, irregular sleep patterns, medications, and odors.
No matter the type of smell
Let's focus on scents. Both pleasant and unpleasant can trigger migraines. Typically, these are unusual or very intense scents, such as perfume, solvents, or cigarette smoke. But why would perfume trigger migraine headaches? How can these sweet scents cause so much trouble?
Is it all because of the perfume?
Fragrances and perfumes have become ubiquitous. They can be found in detergents, soaps, lotions, and shampoos. Most of them are based on chemical compounds, not natural oils. These, in turn, cause health problems, including migraines. Therefore, the blame should lie not with the fragrance itself, but with its chemical composition and excessive exposure to the fragrance. A migraine triggered by perfume or any other fragrance has the same symptoms as one triggered by any other factor.
You can find out if
perfume is causing your migraines by keeping a special diary. Write down each day you have headaches, what time they start, and how long they last. List all the factors that could have caused them: exposure to perfume or other scents, bright light, what meals you ate in the last 24 hours, whether you took medication and whether it helped. If perfume turns out to be the culprit, you'll need to make lifestyle changes—switching to a different scent or giving it up entirely, as well as cutting out scented deodorants. If a loved one's perfume or a coworker's perfume contributed to your symptoms, you can politely ask them to stop using it.
