If headaches from allergies are severe enough to interfere with regular day-to-day activities, patients should see a doctor. | Wikimedia Commons/Phee
If headaches from allergies are severe enough to interfere with regular day-to-day activities, patients should see a doctor. | Wikimedia Commons/Phee
Allergy symptoms can trigger an allergy headache, but not every allergy sufferer experiences headaches in the same way.
Dr. Brian Lee of the Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center said that the vast majority of patients have some component of allergies contributing to their sino-nasal issues.
“A lot of the time, it's inflammation of the nose and that inflammation could come from allergies, or it could come from chronic or recurrent infections,” he told the Grand Canyon Times. “It's always part of our philosophy to make sure that we test our patients for allergies to make sure that we're not overlooking a contributing factor, to make sure not only do we get them better, but we keep them feeling better.”
Dr. Brian Lee
| Scottsdale Sinus and Allergy Center
In fact, sinus or allergy headaches aren’t uncommon, as Healthline research suggests that 70 to 80% of people experience headaches and 50% get them at least once a month. Allergies can sometimes be the cause of some of those headaches.
Lee added that facial pain is common in chronic sinusitis because the sinuses aren't draining or ventilating properly.
“When the sinuses get inflamed, they swell shut and they trap air and mucus,” he said. “As that sits and festers is where some of that pressure starts to build up, and the sinus headaches is what you feel. Now, in terms of dental or tooth pain, our upper teeth, especially the molars, those roots abut and sometimes even encroach into our cheek or maxillary sinuses. When we start to get infections or inflammation in those cheek sinuses, they start to irritate those nerve roots of those upper teeth. And that can actually feel like a toothache more than a typical sinus infection.”
Common allergies that can trigger headaches are: allergic rhinitis (hay fever), food allergies and histamine, according to Healthline.
Healthline also says that sinus disease can cause headaches. However, you should always discuss with your doctor whether medications are a good idea for your allergies or whether you should schedule an appointment to see an allergist.
Take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to evaluate the severity of your sinus problems.
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