Smells may affect a migraine...
Has anyone ever had smells, such as chemicals intensify their migraine attacks? In my job, we use strong smelling chemicals and if I have a migraine...it intensifies drastically.
Oh my, YES! Smells are a well-known and primary trigger of migraine for many. Whether they be perfume, food, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke, or chemical odors - scents of any kind can trigger an attack for a lot of us. Or, as you said, if we already have a migraine on board, a strong smell can kick it into overdrive. You are definitely not alone in this! It's a major struggle for people living with migraine as many odors are unavoidable. So sorry this is a challenge for you and one that is at your workplace! Ugh! Here's a good article that provides an overview of the intersection between smells and migraine: https://migraine.com/migraine-symptoms/sensitivity-to-smells. And here is a link to the deep bench of resources we have on the topic: https://migraine.com/search?s=smells. We are with you in this and glad you are with us! Warmly - Holly (team member) Yup. Smoke smell (either from cigarettes or even just fire) can trigger a migraine for me. Floral scents in general can too, especially if they are really strong.
Hey Tony, I'm just curious -- how do you stay safe when working around those chemicals? Does wearing a mask or other protective equipment cut down on the number of attacks triggered from those strong smells? You're definitely not alone in being in that situation, it's so common! -Melissa, team member
