Does the Smell of an Onion Trigger Migraine?
Could the smell of an onion – or garlic – actually trigger a migraine attack? If so, what can we do to keep it from happening?
There’s no doubt that certain smells bother people who are having a migraine attack, even in the early stages before there’s a headache. And many people have reported that smells actually trigger attacks – perfumes and household cleaners are common culprits. It has been estimated that odours can trigger attacks in 70% of migraineurs.
We also know that eating onion can trigger migraine attacks in some people.
In the spring, in the journal Headache, a report was published on a woman who experienced some pretty significant symptoms after just smelling raw onion.
She first had some allergy-type symptoms in her late 20s after eating an onion dip. Over the next few years she started experiencing a variety of symptoms after just smelling an onion – severe headache, visual symptoms, sore throat, feeling faint, and so on.
The woman was testing for allergies, and in this case the test was positive for garlic and onion. It’s nice to get a positive result in an allergy test – many migraineurs will test normal for their triggers.
Obviously this was a bit of a severe case, more of an allergic response than just a trigger. However, to varying degrees many migraineurs do experience symptoms after exposure to odours including cigarette smoke, car air fresheners, aerosols, and even the smell of foods cooking (particularly fatty foods).
The treatment that this woman was given actually worked. In her case, medication was tried first without success.
The treatment was two-fold. First, a nose plug (she had been covering her nose and mouth when going out previously). Next, “counter-stimulation” using peppermint. These two simple solutions kept the headaches from coming.
Are there certain smells that trigger migraine attacks for you? Have you ever tried a nose plug, or a counter-smell such as peppermint oil?
For more information:
- Alliaceous Migraines (Study abstract. “Alliaceous” refers to the plant-group that onions are a part of.)
- The smells that can give you a migraine
24 December 2014 @ 9:31 am
I get headaches and irritated eyes from strong wafts of perfume and Raw unions.
21 January 2015 @ 9:11 am
ONIONS GIVE ME MIGRAINE HEADACHES!!!
Once I found out, I have never had a migraine since, unless I accidentally eat an onion(s), chives, or scallions in a restaurant.
I sat next to someone at a restaurant who had a plate full of scallions. I asked her how she kept from having migraines, she reached in her purse and pulled out a box of migraine pills!!!
By keeping a food chart, I noticed migraines had nothing to do with “nerves” because I could have a PERFECT day, everything fine, then have a MIGRAINE. Now, I have NEVER had migraines for many, many years!
13 August 2017 @ 11:33 am
I have acute migraine now. I smell onions. There are none in my home. I’ve not eaten any. This is unusuial
12 December 2018 @ 9:02 am
I have severe migraines after being around onions, these last around 3 days. I work in a supermarket and have to hold my breath when scanning onions, especially chopped onions.
If I eat onions I am also violently sick along with a migraine.
Yesterday we ordered a takeaway and they sent a salad separately. This was left to the side, bagged up unopened, we thought nothing of it. About 45 minutes later we started questioning a smell in the air, after realising the bag contained onions my partner threw it in the outside bin immediately.
I’m now sat here after a terrible nights sleep and being bed bound for majority of the day feeling awful, I feel nauseous and miserable with a migraine.
Absolutely NOTHING works for me, I have to wait it out for the 3 days.
17 January 2019 @ 6:33 pm
I have the reaction to onions. There, in fact, my biggest trigger. My sister has the same type of reaction although without a migraine. I actually feel almost as bad if I smell onions on someones breath. I can even tell if the restaurant simply removes the onions and sends my food back. I have to make sure they make my food over again.
For some odd reason dehydrated onions have no affect on me at all. I can even rehydrate them or add them to my cooking with no ill effect whatsoever! Garlic is a trigger for me as well but not as bad and mot the smell.
26 January 2021 @ 6:11 pm
My neighbor is frying onions right now, and the combination of the onions and the frying fat has my head splitting open! 🙁 I live in an apartment and I’m trying to escape it in my bedroom with the door closed, but it’s just pouring in through our connected vents! 🙁 Peppermint gum doesn’t help!!!