Chicago, IL, Nov. 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bright autumn days fade into long nights with cooler, overcast skies, and Chicago migraine headache sufferers feel the resulting "sinus pressure," or so goes the common thinking. "Confusion about migraines, sinus headaches and allergies is quite prevalent, and many people don't realize that allergy and migraine symptoms are strongly connected," points out Chicago allergist Dr. Rotskoff, who has studied the link between allergies and migraine headaches.
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The newest medical research on migraine headache causes has shown that seasonal weather changes, especially the accompanying drops in barometric pressure, can be a significant migraine trigger. Studies also found that the histamine released during an allergy attack can cause migraines headaches. People who have allergies are considerably more likely to develop migraine headaches than those who do not, and proactively treating allergy symptoms can decrease the severity and frequency of migraine headaches.
Adding to the potential for self-misdiagnosis, symptoms that mimic allergic rhinitis (hay fever) or the start of a headcold, such as sinus congestion, watery eyes, fatigue and neck pain, may lead patients to falsely believe that they are experiencing a sinus infection when they could in fact be in the early stages of a migraine headache. A headache journal can help to identify what turn out to have been migraine triggers.
This is not to say that it isn't what it feels like: sinus congestion, or an allergy attack. However, learning to recognize the earliest migraine symptoms can provide the best opportunity to ward off or lessen the severity of a migraine headache. The initial phase of a migraine headache cycle can begin up to three days prior to the onset of pain and other major symptoms. When they have learned to recognize this preliminary period, patients tend to get migraine help more promptly. Migraine prevention strategies include non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS), migraine-specific medications (Triptan medications such as Imitrex), and natural treatment regimens.
Nationally recognized for his expertise on sinus and migraine headache treatment, Dr. Rotskoff has successfully implemented safe and effective natural headache remedies that can help up to 90% of patients with chronic sinus headaches. Dr. Rotskoff suggests that patients prone to migraine headaches should also take preventative measures such as stress reduction and adequate sleep, staying hydrated and properly nourished, and avoiding other migraine triggers, especially while the weather is in flux. Even the seemingly minimal one-hour difference due to daylight savings time can be problematic, as sensitivity to changes in circadian rhythms is another hallmark of migraine patients. "We can't control the weather, but we can take every other measure to mitigate seasonal migraine and allergy suffering," urges Dr. Rotskoff.
Schedule your comprehensive migraine and allergy evaluation by calling Clarity Allergy Center at 773-877-3500, conveniently located in Chicago, North Chicago and Arlington Heights.