How Sinuses, Allergies & Weather Affect Migraine
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Key Questions
- Do physicians who are not headache specialists often misdiagnose migraine as sinus-related headache?
- How do the symptoms of sinus headaches differ from those of migraine?
- What physiological processes increase vulnerability to migraine attacks during allergy or sinus flare-ups?
- Does research show a comorbidity between allergies and migraine?
- Do allergies or sinus issues make migraine attacks more difficult to treat?
- When is it advisable to consult a doctor for treatment of co-occurring sinus issues and migraine?
- In what ways do weather phenomena, such as temperature changes, barometric pressure shifts, and lightning, affect migraine?
- Why are some individuals more sensitive to weather changes than others?
- What strategies do you recommend for individuals who identify weather changes as migraine triggers?
Interview Notes
- Vincent T. Martin, MD
- The International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3)
- Study: “Sinus headache: A clinical conundrum”
- Study: “The sinus, allergy and migraine study (SAMS)”
- Study: “Chronic rhinitis and its association with headache frequency and disability in persons with migraine: Results of the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study”
- Study: “Lightning and its association with the frequency of headache in migraineurs: An observational cohort study”
- Study: “Allergy and immunotherapy: Are they related to migraine headache?”
- Abstracts: 2024 American Headache Society Conference
- Article: “Is There a Link Between Hotter Temps and Increased Migraine Headaches?”
- Poster: “Treatment with fremanezumab attenuates the association between weather and headache in participants with episodic migraine: A post-hoc analysis of the HALO-EM study”
Treatments Mentioned
- Antihistamines
- Fluticasone (Flonase)
- Montelukast sodium (Singulair)
- Pressure-filtering earplugs (WeatherX)
- Tracking barometric pressure
Please note: The Migraine World Summit’s aim is to bring you a variety of perspectives and expertise, independent of bias or judgment. Alternative theories presented in this video have not been medically reviewed. Views expressed in this interview do not necessarily represent the views of the Migraine World Summit. Please always consult your health care professional and do your own research before making changes to your treatment plan.
Vince Martin, MD, AQH
Director
Headache & Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute
Vincent Martin is the director of the Headache and Facial Pain Center at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute. He has been a professor of clinical medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine since 2004. Dr. Martin is president of the National Headache Foundation and a fellow of the American Headache Society and the American College of Physicians.
Interviews from Vince Martin, MD, FAHS, AQH
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Making the Most Out of Your Doctor’s Appointment
Ehlers-Danlos, Connective Tissue Disorders & Migraine
Migraine Diets and Food Triggers
Surviving Weather-Related Migraine
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Miles for Migraine is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of improving the lives of people with migraine and other headache disorders, and their families, by raising public awareness about this disease, and helping to find a cure. Miles for Migraine produces fun walk/run events, typically a 2-mile walk and 5K and 10K races to raise money for migraine research. We also host adult education days, and a youth program for kids and teens impacted by migraine and other headache disorders.
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