Environmental factors

Headaches can be triggered by specific environmental factors, such as exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, strong odors from household chemicals or perfumes, exposure to certain allergens, or eating certain foods. Stress, pollution, noise, lighting, and weather changes are other environmental factors that can trigger headaches in some people.

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Smoking and secondhand smoke from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes can contribute to headaches for both the smoker and the nonsmoker. Nicotine, one of the components of tobacco, stimulates vascular activity in the brain. Smoking also stimulates the ganglion nerves in the back of the throat, contributing to headache pain. Usually, by removing the stimulus (nicotine), headaches will be relieved. In one study of patients with cluster headaches, those who reduced their tobacco use by less than one-half pack of cigarettes per day found that their headaches decreased by 50 percent.

Allergy to smoke, as well as odor sensitivity, can also cause migraine headaches in some people. By avoiding situations or places where smoking is permitted, or by quitting smoking, most people can reduce the onset of migraine headache.