The Wonderful World of Smells for a Migraine Warrior
The world is full of smells. Good ones, bad ones, what-is-that-weird-smell ones. Migraine warriors like me are especially sensitive to odors and their intensity. Smell-related triggers are often beyond our control. Many times, I’ve fallen victim to a co-worker’s strong perfume or found myself accidentally in the candle aisle after the store’s sales department decided it was time to rearrange the merchandise. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, I learned how helpful a face mask can be during the holiday season when synthetic fragrances mimicking pine and spices pack the seasonal shelves.
When it comes to odor-related migraine triggers, cigarette smoke tops my list. In my younger years, I’d breathe through my mouth as much as possible when faced with a smoker and tolerate the toxic habit. Not anymore. My husband says I got bolder when I passed 50. I say it’s about time.
When we did the responsible thing and called an Uber for a beer tasting fundraiser for a local charity, I climbed into the ride share’s backseat, took a breath, and immediately said, “Nope, people have smoked in this car.” The driver hesitated for a second and then blamed it on his girlfriend. He apologized and arranged a different driver for us. This wasn’t the first time I’ve had this problem with a ride-share car, only now that I’m old and bold, I don’t accept the unacceptable.
Some triggers I must accept, like those related to hormones and weather. But I can steer clear of trigger foods, avoid flashing lights whenever possible, and try to limit exposure to triggering odors. It isn’t always easy to do unless you never leave the house, which is unacceptable, no matter what your age. Migraine warriors deserve to live a good life outside of a quiet, dark room.
Standing up for that right is getting easier. There’s a lot more awareness of migraine illness out there. Scientific advancements in migraine knowledge and treatments have come a long way in educating people who don’t have migraine episodes and validating how impactful the illness is to those who do have it. In my 20s and 30s, I often came across people who compared migraine pain to an ordinary headache. Many suggested I thought myself into episodes. One time, a boss accused me of abusing the privilege of sick leave.
Now, there seems to be a lot more respect for migraine illness and those who have it. Improvements in medical diagnosis have helped. Migraine protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act have also strengthened the perception of migraine as the serious illness that it is. And, I suppose I’ve aged into demanding more respect, too. I enjoy sharing the migraine knowledge I’ve acquired over the decades with anyone who needs to learn.
Most people are receptive to being part of the solution, instead of the problem, like the Uber driver with the cigarette smoke-laden car. I wasn’t shy about the problem, and he did what he could to help me at that moment. Who knows. Maybe now that he understands the immediate impact cigarette smoking can have on his clients, he’ll ask his girlfriend to investigate smoking cessation. I like to think civility, positivity, and knowledge can air out our smelly world.
Originally published at WebMD.com on 12-29-25.
