MEDICAL CONTROVERSY

A lot of medical controversy exists over whether or not food allergies cause migraine headaches.  The majority of studies indicate that foods themselves are not the culprits.  Chemical additives in foods or food intolerances may contribute to or worsen migraine symptoms, but they do not seem to cause them.  The main connection that has been observed is that people with allergic rhinitis do experience more migraine headaches than people who do not suffer from this condition.  One explanation is that inflammation in the nasal cavities may over-stimulate nerve endings in these locales and send intense pain signals to the brain.  This theory seems to suggest that keeping allergic rhinitis symptoms well-controlled may help relieve some migraine pain.

P.S.  It is estimated that 12 percent of the people in the United States suffer from migraine headaches.  Women are three times more likely to be affected than men.

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