A migraine is a type of headache, usually affecting one side of the head and often accompanied with a throbbing or pulsing sensation and sensitivity to light and sound. Nausea and vomiting occur frequently with migraines. For some people, migraines can last days or weeks, significantly hampering their daily activities. Most migraines have triggers such as hormonal imbalances, stress, certain food or drinks, or odors. Migraines are treated with neurological exams and scans at the doctor’s office.

A heightened sensitivity or aversion to certain smells and odors called osmophobia has been known to be the trigger of migraines in up to 50% of migraine patients. Some of the problematic odors are cigarette smoke, food odors, and fragrances from perfumes or candles:

1. Cigarette smoke

Both smoking and inhaling second-hand smoke can trigger migraine symptoms in 72% of odor sensitive people. Smoke from cigarettes contains carbon monoxide and is a vasoactive substance, which affects the size of the blood vessels in the brain as well as the covering of the brain and reduces oxygenation. Decrease of blood flow and oxygen to these areas will cause severe pain. Nicotine has also been shown to interfere with the liver’s ability to metabolize drugs that could treat migraines as well as stimulate pain-sensitive nerves as it passes through the back of the throat. Research has indicated other effects on brain monoamines, and a decrease in nitric oxide production. Whatever the pathway, there seems to be no doubt that smoke from cigarettes is a true precipitating factor for migraine attacks.

2. Food odors

Food and cooking odors trigger migraines in sensitive people. Cooking of certain foods such as onion or fried food, and the smell of burnt food are some examples. Both the odor and consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, beer, and hard drinks including Scotch and Whiskey, and caffeinated products, artificial sweeteners, and food additives such as MSG are other examples. The odor and consumption of aged, smoked or fermented dairy products such as aged cheeses, yoghurt or buttermilk can cause migraines. It is thought that Tyramine, which naturally occurs in many aged and fermented foods, and is a widely known migraine trigger, is the culprit in these cases.

3. Fragrances from perfumes or candles

According to published research, 95% of odor sensitive people were triggered by perfumes. Most of these headaches are triggered within a few minutes of exposure. Many chemicals in perfumes are petroleum based such as phthalates, which are known disruptors of the endocrine and hormonal system. Candles, usually made from paraffin wax and synthetic fragrances and dyes, release benzene derivative products in the air. These volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde, alcohol, limonene and esters, are known to have many detrimental health effects including dizziness and allergies. Sometimes the cores of candles are all metal, releasing dangerous metallic by-products into the air such as lead and zinc. All of these chemicals released into the air and inhaled by sensitive people can cause severe headaches such as migraines.