As per a study, allergies and hay fever may add to the number and seriousness of migraine headaches.

Data from about 6,000 migraine sufferers was analyzed by researchers and it was found that nearly 66% of the respondents were suffering from nasal or seasonal allergies or hay fever. The respondents were asked to fill a questionnaire in2008 as part of the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study.

As per the findings, the study authors’ inferred that people with allergies and hay fever were 33% more expected to have more regular migraines as compared to those without these conditions.

On November 25, the report was published in the journal Cephalalgia. As per lead author Dr. Vincent Martin, the study is one of the first of its kind that connects the occurrence of migraines to irritation and inflammation of the nasal mucus membrane. This irritation and inflammation is caused by allergic and non-allergic triggers. He is a professor of medicine at the University of Cincinnati and co-director of Headache and Facial Pain Program of the university.

Martin reveals, “We are not sure whether the [allergies and hay fever] causes the increased frequency of headaches or whether the migraine attacks themselves produce symptoms of [allergies and hay fever] in these patients”.