Migraine, food allergies and intolerances

Migraine is a primary headache. This means that the cause is an abnormality in the neuronal system that regulates the sensation of pain and that conditions that the threshold of its activation is altered. The cause of this is very possibly genetically determined by one to several genes, not yet well known. However, there are some circumstances that we call triggers or predisposing factors. These can trigger a migraine crisis. These triggers are very variable and different for each migraine patient. Among these circumstances are some foods. The most frequent are alcoholic drinks, chocolate, blue cheeses, nuts and some very spicy sauces, among others. In this entry of the series “Urban legends about migraine”, we talk about migraine, allergies or food intolerances.

Migraines and feeding

This does not mean that patients who have these predisposing factors are allergic or intolerant of these foods. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform a specific allergy or hypersensitivity study to identify them. Simply, the migraineur should try to identify them by observing the repetition of the coincidence between the consumption of a food product in the hours prior to the onset of the migraine crisis.

Once it has been introduced it is highly recommended to reduce its consumption. Certain allergies that improve with treatments based on desensitization vaccines. On the contrary, with migraine it has not been possible to demonstrate that this type of treatments are useful to avoid a certain type of food predisposing. In addition, many migraine sufferers do not have any type of food-type trigger. Therefore, they can freely consume any type of food without any type of restriction.

Allergology and migraine

To date, it has not been scientifically proven that a regulated study of food allergy involves a benefit in the evolution and quality of life of the migraine patient. For all this, we can say that it is an urban legend that migraine can be caused by allergies or intolerance to certain foods. Consequently, it is not advisable to do a study to determine if migraine is cause of food allergies and intolerances and that this is the cause of their headaches.

Learn more about migraines in our Blog: urban legends about migraine.