Is it possible to develop a reaction (headaches) to the smell of washing powder, even after all these years.

[SMJYellow]

My mam is 64. Her general health is good with no conditions.

A recent complaint from her, is the smell of washing powder giving her a headache.

She has gone on to diagnosis migraines with herself. My understanding of migraines is that they are very crippling. Everyone is different with different triggers and smell is one of them. Whatever about a headache from my mam, its not a migraine.

I don't get it. She tolerated washing detergent all winter and now she's complaining about the smell of clean clothes. I know some detergents can be overpowering. She uses Bold and I think it might be lavender. I use ariel, green liquid, (I think, it's bio) and no fabric softener. Mam usually gives an extra rinse to clothes. Depending on the type of laundry I'm working on, I give them a soak followed by a quick wash and an extra rinse.

Could she have mild hay fever or some other thing that would lower her tolerance to smells? I have hay fever and react to things during tree pollen time that I don't react to for the rest of the year.

That said, I can't tolerate the smell of washing powder year round, I don't walk down that aisle at the supermarket unless I have to as it sets me off sneezing. Sitting beside someone who has a heavy hand with the fabric conditioner will often give me a headache.

I recommend M&S powder or gel, it is very low smell and doesn't make me itchy either.

No known hay-fever problems. We do both suffer from sinus infections/problems. I was away abroad on holidays three years ago and came down with what I thought was sinus. Blocked nose, stuffy head, headache, ear problems. I was taking over the counter medicine for sinus but my sister in law said, maybe I could try an over the counter, non drowsy antihistamine incase it's the pollen and climate change. Sure enough, it cleared it up. So maybe there is hay-fever in the background.