Migraines are debilitating headaches that affect approximately 15 percent of the population, according to The National Library of Medicine. Migraines are accompanied by a multitude of other symptoms, such as nausea, sensitivity to light and sound and fatigue. A migraine occurs when abnormal brain activity is triggered by stress, diet or environmental factors. These triggers are believed to affect blood flow in the brain and tissues, causing the pain of a migraine.
One-sided Pain
For allergy sufferers, contact with stimuli can induce migraine symptoms. This occurs when histamine is released by the body in response to an allergy trigger, causing blood vessels to dilate and inducing migraine pain and symptoms. A common symptom indicating a migraine headache is pain on one side of the head or neck. The pain may be or throbbing in nature and typically increases with activity, reaching excruciating measure. For this reason, migraine medications are most effective when taken in the early stages of headache pain, when symptoms first arise. Commonly used prescriptions called triptans are effective options for relieving migraine pain. For those with allergies, however, nasal sprays and allergy shots may be appropriate.
Nausea and Vomiting
When an allergic reaction triggers histamine, nausea or vomiting can occur as a migraine symptom. Nausea and vomiting are early migraine signs that worsen with activity and as the migraine progresses. One or both symptoms may be present. Pain medications that relieve migraine headaches may be effective at easing nausea and vomiting. According to the Mayo Clinic, triptans are effective at not only ridding of the headache, but also accompanying symptoms, such as nausea.
Sensitivity to Light and Sound/Prodome
According to the Weather Channel, those with allergies are 14 times more likely to experience migraine headaches. One of the most prominent and widely recognized symptoms of a migraine may be sensitivity to light and sound. These symptoms cause the sufferer to become extremely sensitive to bright lights and sounds, especially music and loud noises like a baby's cry, a ringing phone or barking dog. A migraine sufferer with these symptoms may find relief in a dark, quiet room. In addition, the individual may feel drowsy or fatigued before the onset of a migraine. This is considered a prodome, a forewarning symptom that can strike hours or a day before a migraine. Other forewarnings include auras, food cravings, thirst and mood changes, such as irritability or depression.
