Many people say they get headaches from smelling perfumes. They often think it’s just them.
In fact, having a negative reaction to fragrances, including perfumed products and household scents, is very common, affecting about one-third of people.
American Headache Society
What’s that smell? by Deena Kuruvilla, MD
Migraines
Scent a trigger is even more common for people who suffer from migraines. Though the good news is that studies have isolated common migraine causing scents so they might be avoided. At least one study has also indicated that certain scents such as apple may reduce the severity of migraines in some people: Smells That Cause (and Cure) Migraines.
Video
Scientific papers
Steinemann, A. (2016). Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions. Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, 9(8), 861-866.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27867426/
Schwedt, T. J. (2013). Multisensory integration in migraine. Current opinion in neurology, 26(3), 248.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4038337/
Silva-Néto, R. P., Peres, M. F. P., & Valença, M. M. (2014). Odorant substances that trigger headaches in migraine patients. Cephalalgia, 34(1), 14-21.
Silva-Néto, R. P., Rodrigues, Â. B., Cavalcante, D. C., Ferreira, P. H. P. B., Nasi, E. P., Sousa, K. M. D. H., … & Valença, M. M. (2017). May headache triggered by odors be regarded as a differentiating factor between migraine and other primary headaches?. Cephalalgia, 37(1), 20-28.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0333102416636098
Friedman, D. I., & De Ver Dye, T. (2009). Migraine and the environment. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 49(6), 941-952.
https://headachejournal.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1526-4610.2009.01443.x