Almost everyone, once in a while, experiences a headache.
It can make you feel really unwell. About two thirds of the population in western countries state that they occasionally suffer from them. One out of four people complains of having regular headaches. Besides suffering from backaches, headaches are one of the most common and frequent medical complaints.
However, not all headaches are the same. Medical experts have identified more than 180 different types of headaches. The symptoms can be very varied. Some patients complain of throbbing pain or an unbearable hammering in the head and others complain of tension behind the forehead. Headaches can start gradually or develop very suddenly. They may be dull or stabbing, very strong or hardly perceptible. They can occur in phases or may be felt continuously. More than 90 percent of patients suffer from two types of prevalent headaches: tension headache or migraine.
Headaches or migraines can have many causes. The triggers might also include foods. Often chocolate, cheese and wine are suspected. However, have you ever considered milk, nuts or gluten?
Food intolerances such as histamine intolerance or a delayed food allergy may cause headaches too. Fighting them may bring back your quality of life.
Do you know your own personal triggers?
Is a histamine intolerance causing your headaches?
Histamine is a tissue hormone that occurs naturally in the body but is also absorbed through food, for example fish, cheese, smoked meat, salami or vegetables such as sauerkraut.
Normally, histamine is broken down in the body by the enzyme diamine oxidase (DAO). However, if there is a deficiency in activity or inhibition of DAO, histamine can not be completely metabolized. This may result in symptoms, such as reddening of the skin, stuffy or runny nose, abdominal pain, diarrhea or headaches.
Can a delayed food allergy be the trigger for your headaches?
Sometimes the body triggers a defense response by the immune system against certain foods. If for example the small intestine is damaged due to stress, infections or medications, other food constituents may enter the bloodstream “unauthorized” that usually can not passively do so. The immune system then identifies these food constituents as foreign substances and forms IgG antibodies to counteract them. These antibodies bind to the food components and trigger further reactions by the immune system. These could cause inflammations in the body, which may finally result in a headache or migraine.
You can find out whether you suffer from a delayed food allergy with an ImuPro blood test. This comprehensive blood analysis identifies increased quantities of IgG antibodies against particular foods.
It is time to get rid of your pain and feel better!
