East Indy News

Indianapolis Sinus Center doctors recently discussed the various ways of treating headaches caused by allergies.

According to Healthline research, 70 to 80% of people get headaches, and about 50% get at least one per month. Allergy-induced headaches are considered common.

The most common allergy types to produce headaches include food allergies, which can be caused by aged cheese, artificial sweeteners or chocolate. Another is hay fever, which is usually paired with seasonal and indoor nasal allergies. Histamine, which is produced by the body upon detecting allergens and often leads to decreased blood pressure, can also be blamed for headaches from allergies.

Dr. Anthony Sanders | Indianapolis Sinus Center

“In addition, people who have poorly controlled allergies tend to get nasal swelling," Dr. Anthony Sanders of Indianapolis Sinus Center told East Indy News. "And oftentimes, if your sinus openings are too small to allow infection to drain out, then that's when you have problems with chronic sinus infections, so they can play into sinus infections that way by making the openings even smaller still.”

The symptoms related to sinus disease can often be prevented or treated with preventive steps and over-the-counter medications. A consultation with an allergist is advised if you feel as if your symptoms are disturbing your daily activities. 

“Not everyone with allergies has sinus problems,” Dr. Nicholas Hollenkamp of Indianapolis Sinus Center told East Indy News.  “Not everyone with sinus problems has allergies, but there's a whole lot of overlap between the two. They're both different mechanisms of inflammation. They work in a little bit of a different way, but they both cause inflammation. If the allergies are causing inflammation in the wrong places, that can change your sinus mucus drainage.”

The Indianapolis Sinus Center created a Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz to help allergy sufferers evaluate their symptoms.