Allergic reactions include symptoms like sneezing, shortness of breath, itching, skin rashes, and a constricted throat. A sensitivity on the other hand, is when your body is overly responsive to the effects of a substance. If eating a piece of cheese sets off one of your headaches, for example, it s not because you re allergic to cheese. It s probably that you re extremely sensitive to the tyramine in the cheese, which can provoke a chemical reaction in your brain. Tyramine can lead to the constriction and then dilation of blood vessels, a process which can lead to a throbbing migraine.
Many migraine sufferers identify chocolate as a trigger.
Chocolate contains caffeine and phenylethylamine, which can lead to the same blood vessel constriction and dilation associated with tyramine. The ground cacao and sweeteners in chocolate may lower your blood sugar and making you more susceptible to migraine. Alcohol, particularly dark alcoholic beverages such as red wine, sherry, brandy, scotch, bourbon and beer, are potent migraine triggers for many sufferers. High sugar content in certain alcoholic beverages causes your body s blood sugar to rise and then fall, particularly if you re prone to hypoglycemia. Tyramine and histamines, key chemicals in a migraine attack, are also found in alcohol, especially red wine and champagne.