According to a study by the Metropolitan University of Santos in Brazil, at least a third of people who suffer from headaches experience an increase in their sensitivity to odors during a migraine attack , a figure that can increase up to 70% in the case of women with migraine. This intolerance to odors, also known as osmophobia , is noted, among other things, in that patients are able to detect odors at a great distance.
Additionally, odor itself is a trigger for migraines in 48% of cases, making strong scents the second most common headache-causing factor behind stress (59%).
The odors from perfumes , cigarette smoke and cleaning products are the most common odors associated with migraines, according to research. They are followed in the ranking, in this order, by kerosene, ammonia, bleach, gasoline and pollution.
