East Louisville News

Allergy sufferers are well aware that their symptoms can trigger an allergy headache, but the type of pain associated with these headaches can vary.

Dr. Daniel Mongiardo with the Dr. Daniel Mongiardo Sleep & Sinus Center said that allergies cause inflammation, which can then lead to a headache from allergies.

“If you've ever stepped outdoors and you have hay fever, your eyes get swollen, and you start sneezing and have watery eyes, well, the same thing happens on the inside,” Mongiardo told East Louisville News. “And the sinuses, think of it as a big room and a very, very small door. Allergies will cause a shutting of that door so air doesn't flow, and if air doesn't flow, bacteria grows in absence of new oxygen.”

Dr. Daniel Mongiardo | Facebook

Mongiardo added that you won't have recurrent sinusitis unless you have some type of immunological issues.

“So we are always focused on how to keep (the sinuses) open,” he said. “Sometimes we can treat that with medication that will open up the sinuses that allow air to flow through. Sometimes all it takes is just irrigating the sinuses with saline to keep the sinuses clear from all the pollen and bacteria.”

In fact, sinus headaches aren’t uncommon, as Healthline research suggests that 70 to 80% of people experience headaches and 50% get one at least once a month. Allergies can be the cause of some of those headaches.

“(Saline) is a very simple solution with some patients,” Mongiardo said. “But again, when that doesn't work, and it's closed, and you have bacterial infections that cause more inflammation and swelling, and we just can't open it with medication, that's when the balloon sinuplasty is very, very effective to stretch that opening.”

Mongiardo added that balloon dilation takes less than 10 seconds per sinus, once the nose is decongested and anesthetized with nasal sprays, a quick and painless procedure.

Common allergies that can trigger headaches are: allergic rhinitis (hay fever), food allergies and histamine, according to Healthline.

“If you have pain in your foot or your knee, it's not like it's around our head area,” Mongiardo said. “When it's around our head area, it affects your thought process, it affects your ability to concentrate, it affects your mood.”

Healthline also says that sinus disease can cause headaches. However, you should always discuss whether medications are a good idea for your headaches from allergies or whether you should schedule an appointment to see an allergist.

Take this Self-Assessment Sinus Quiz to evaluate the severity of your sinus problems.