West LA Times

Headaches from allergies, or other causes, affect much of the population, with Healthline estimating between 70 and 80% of people get headaches and about 50% experience at least one monthly.

Some headaches are associated with allergies, and Dr. Glenn Waldman of Bella Vista ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery has provided guidance on how to identify whether allergies are causing the headaches, as well as how to treat them.

“We frequently find ourselves in a situation where we have to first determine what is actually the source of the headache,” Waldman told West LA Times. “Is this a true sinus headache that's really coming from a sinus origin that's causing the pain, or an anatomical problem where things are pushing up against each other that shouldn't be? Are those the actual sources of the pain? Or is it something totally different, like a migraine headache caused by vascular changes in the brain?"

Dr. Glenn Waldman | Bella Vist ENT

One common form of allergy is allergic rhinitis, better known as hay fever. Pain from hay fever might cause headaches due to sinus disease. Healthline says that a true sinus headache is actually rare.

There may also be a link between food intake and headaches. Some experts say that the chemical properties of certain foods lead to pain, even if the patient doesn't have an actual food allergy. Some foods like aged cheese, chocolate and artificial sweeteners have been known to lead to migraines.

Another cause is a histamine, which decreases blood pressure and can lead to a headache. Histamines are created by the body to fend off allergies.

Waldman said his staff frequently performs allergy testing at the medical center because when he sees a patient with chronic sinus inflammation, it is important to identify the cause. Allergies, he said, are one of the potential causes.

“Allergies will cause swelling and inflammation in the airways, especially in the nose and sinuses,” Waldman said. “Depending on how bad your allergies are, that can reflect how bad your swelling and inflammation in your nose and sinuses are. If that's a part of the picture, that's a component that needs to be addressed as well.”

Healthline says that some allergies respond to over-the-counter antihistamine drugs like Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec and Chlor-Trimeton. There are also nasal corticosteroids that reduce nasal congestion, swelling, ear and eye symptoms, as well as facial pain. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs include Flonase, Rhinocort, Nasacort AQ and Nasonex. Others treat allergies with shots that are intended to reduce the chances of an allergy headache and lessen the severity of allergy attacks.

If allergies are negatively impacting your quality of life, it is best to see a doctor. Bella Vista ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery is offering a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz on its website for potential patients to evaluate their symptoms.