Migraines are a severe pulsating neurological disorder that results in symptoms of unbearable pounding pain on one side of your face, sensitivity to light, smells, and noise, and nausea that causes you to to curl up and sleep the day away. While several environmental factors may trigger migraines (i.e., pollen, stress, bright lights, etc.), did you know that smell is one of the leading migraine triggers?
Here is a list of five smells that tend to trigger migraines:
1. Cigarette smoke
It’s pretty well known that one of the worst things you can do for your health, beauty, and longevity is smoking. Even though a person might avoid actively smoking the cigarette itself, it is still one of the causes of migraines you want to watch out for. According to Web MD, there are people with allergies to cigarette smoke that can be triggered by smelling it, and those people should avoid being around the smoke altogether. If you think that electronic cigarettes (or vape pens) are safe, think again. They have been known to cause migraines as well.
2. Food odors
There are some migraine triggers that might not seem as obvious as cigarette smoke, and food odors is one of them. However, studies have shown that there are certain food smells that can trigger pounding headaches, and those are generally linked to foods that aren’t the healthiest for you overall. Smelling fatty foods can cause the cranial swelling as well as fried foods and onions. Experts think it could be related to glutamate.
3. Perfumes
It might seem counterintuitive to consider that your migraine was triggered by something so sweet as a rose or floral scent, but perfume is a leading migraine trigger. The truth is that modern perfumes aren’t made just from the plant that was extracted from. Instead they are complex chemical compounds that could send you running for your cold compress. So always opt for a natural solution to making yourself smell better like fresh flowers that you have distilled yourself.
4. Cleaning chemicals
Speaking of chemical compositions, you should examine how the products you use to clean your home affect your head. Anything that is strongly artificially scented has the ability to cause those unbearable headaches. If you are a sufferer of migraines, then you may want to go the holistic route and create your own cleaning supplies out of natural ingredients like vinegar. Your head and peace of mind will thank you.
5. Candles or air fresheners
We have all gotten a great big whiff of an artificial air freshener and felt our stomach seizing up on us. If you have migraines, then the end result could be much worse, Steer clear of those scented candles too if you may feel triggered by them. Some people even report that the candle doesn’t even have to be lit to trigger that experience! If you are in a space that needs to be uplifted flagrantly, then you may be better off just opening the windows
