What should you know about gluten headache?

Headache can follow dehydration, missed meals, poor sleep, stress, viral illness or nasal and sinus inflammation. If symptoms repeatedly follow wheat, barley or rye, a clinician can consider coeliac disease or another food-related reaction, but timing alone cannot identify the cause. Allergic rhinitis, a common cold and chronic sinusitis can produce head pressure or facial discomfort that feels like a headache. Record the location, quality, duration and associated symptoms such as nausea, light sensitivity or congestion.

Keep a headache diary with meals, fluids, sleep, screen time, stress, menstrual timing and medicines. Eat regular meals and drink fluids, particularly in hot weather or during illness. Rest in a quiet, dim room if that helps. Avoid frequent self-treatment with pain medicines because repeated use can perpetuate headaches. Discuss coeliac testing before removing gluten if the pattern is persistent.

Arrange review for new or recurring headaches, headaches that are worsening, or pain with fever, sinus symptoms, visual changes or vomiting. Seek emergency care for a sudden severe headache, new weakness or numbness, confusion, fainting, seizure, stiff neck, or a headache after a significant head injury. A severe headache with high fever or marked heat-related illness also needs urgent assessment.

Could my headache pattern fit migraine, sinus inflammation, dehydration or coeliac disease? Should I have testing before changing my diet? Which pain relief is appropriate, and how often may I use it?