Smelling good could cause migraines
RANDBURG – One woman’s perfume could be another’s poison.
The world’s largest and most respected migraine medical journal, Cephalagia has published a study investigating the link between perfumes and migraine. Migraine headaches that are triggered by exposure to certain odours were studied in a sample group of 400 sufferers.
It was found that they are three times more common in men than in women.
The study reported that perfume accounted for 75 per cent of these cases.
Dr Elliot Shevel, South Africa’s migraine research pioneer, explained that is was a retrospective study with comparison groups consisting of 200 migraine and 200 tension-type headaches sufferers.
Patients were interviewed about odourant substances including paints, gasoline, bleach, insecticides, cleaning, culinary and beauty products that can be the trigger for headaches as well as how long after exposure they experienced pain.
Choosing what perfume to wear or deodorant to use in the morning is not just a matter of what smells the best.
Dr Shevel explained, “Every patient is different, so people are affected by different odours. There are no specific scents that people should avoid, so it is a process of elimination for every individual.”
To assist with identification of odour triggers, Dr Shevel recommend the use of a headache or migraine diary, available for download free of charge at www.theheadacheclinic.net
Related articles:
OPINION: Marvellous Marigolds
