A number of smells have been named to trigger migraines, according to a recent study.
For instance, onions are regarded as one of the most common causes of migraines but a recent study finds that it can also cure the condition. Approximately 15 percent of adults in the UK suffer from migraine. Symptoms of the disease include nausea and sensitivity to light and it is normally triggered by sudden changes in the natural chemicals found in the brain. The study confirmed that 75.9 percent of cases do not have identifiable triggers but some of the most common causes include stress, fluctuations in hormone, sudden change in weather, sleep disturbance, diet and flickering lights or images.
The study also claims that more than 50 percent of migraine sufferers are sensitive to a specific odor and this condition is known as osmophobia. The researchers found that women can be particularly sensitive, with approximately 70 percent who claim that smell is a trigger. One of the cases reported showed a 32-year old woman who found that raw onions and garlic caused a 'migraine aura'. The Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation confirmed that the patient experienced a crushing headache after an hour of being exposed to the smell.
Nose plugs and over the counter peppermints were given to the patient to relieve her from the pain brought about by migraine. The researchers confirmed that onions, as well as other smells, may induce changes in the emotions as the areas of the brain that govern both smell and emotion are closely linked. Dr. Nicholas Silver, consultant neurologist at the Walton Center for Neurology and Neurosurgery said: "We found that common odor triggers include perfumes, aerosols, car air fresheners, cooking smells, particularly those that are fried or fatty, as well as the smell of cigarettes."
