Incense triggered migraines?

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I am on the RCIA team at our parish and we have a candidate who suffers from migraines which can be triggered by incense at mass. We have reduced the use of incense as much as possible for the Holy Week services, but I am looking into the possibility of changing our parish incense to avoid these issues in the future, yet allow incense when appropriate.

Does anyone else suffer from this and what have you done to eliminate the problem?

Thanks all.
 
Changing the incense may or may not help; it may be the presence of any type of incense. So little is known about the triggers for migranes.

The only real way to solve the issue is to eliminate incense or have the first mass of the day without incense, and even then incense can linger for days. I have severe allergies and can tell when we’ve had a funeral at our parish days after.

Kudos for trying, but there may be no adequate solution. 🤷
 
😦

At the Rite of Election in Dayton, Ohio, my eyes were burning a bit from the massive amount on incense they were using. They had a big charcoal whatchamacallit near us and they kept the fire and the incense going full-tilt for two hours. It’s a small price to pay; after all our Lord went through much, much more suffering than a allergy or sensitivity to the incense.

However, migraines are not fun. I get them on occasion. 😦
 
My husband gets migraines (we’re talking nausea and the whole nine yards) and they have been triggered by incense, so he makes it a point to sit at least in the middle of the church and as far away from the aisle where the priest enters as possible, for two reasons:
  1. it decreases the amount of incense smoke he is exposed to, and
  2. it opens up a less obvious and disruptive avenue of escape should he have to “excuse himself” suddenly.
Of course, he’s had to suffer through a few Masses where there was no escape and he prayed his way through it and offered it up. You do what you have to do!
 
Unfortunately, there’s nothing likely to be done for this individual.

As a relatively experienced church musician, I’ve worked with a fair share of choir ladies who would tell you that just one whiff of incense would send them into some kind of cardio-pulmonary fit. Then, come Triduum, they’re always fine.

I’m not saying your friend doesn’t really have a problem, but far too many people complain about problems with incense and perfume when they really are just trying to be obnoxious or get attention–and everybody knows it–and so when people truly do have problems or athsma attacks, etc. caused by incense, they are ignored.

To accomidate him, you might raise the concern to your parish liturgist and ask that the censor be moved out of the sanctuary when it’s not being used or that less actual ncense (and therefore less smoke) be used in the censor. Changing the incense probably wouldn’t do much unless the incense your church uses is particulary cheap and smelly and it would also likely be difficult to get incense in time for Holy Thursday.
 
Suggest they take medication before the mass. They should also carry a handkercheif in the pocket, that can be discreetly used as an “air filter” should they be too bothered by the incense. It could even be a moist handkerchief, carried in a zip top baggie in the pocket.

Suggest they sit on the end of the isle, so, if they are overcome with the incense, they can step out of the Church for the few seconds that the incense is being “swung”.
 
I suffer from migraines on a fairly routine basis. However, my triggers are very strong odors such as cigarette smoke and heavy perfume. I am actually quite good at busting students who smoke in non-designated areas. I avoid Macy’s and Dillard’s entrances because I do not want to be attacked by Chanel and Juicy Couture. Both of these fragarances have felled me.

However, when it comes to incense, I have no problems. In fact, I actually enjoy the smell, especially the one that smells exactly like the essence of Chrism. If they could bottle that aroma, I would buy it as my own fragrance, including shower gel and lotion. 👍
 
benedictgal said:
I suffer from migraines on a fairly routine basis. However, my triggers are very strong odors such as cigarette smoke and heavy perfume. I am actually quite good at busting students who smoke in non-designated areas. I avoid Macy’s and Dillard’s entrances because I do not want to be attacked by Chanel and Juicy Couture. Both of these fragarances have felled me.

However, when it comes to incense, I have no problems. In fact, I actually enjoy the smell, especially the one that smells exactly like the essence of Chrism. If they could bottle that aroma, I would buy it as my own fragrance, including shower gel and lotion. 👍
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It’s not unpleasant. I like it. 🙂 In moderation it’s nice.
 
I’ve read other threads on this forum that mentioned a brand of incense that some parishes use that doesn’t cause allergic reactions. Does anyone know what that brand is?

I agree with kage_ar. One simple option for the candidate is to hold a moist handerchief over her mouth and nose to avoid inhaling the irritants. Also, of course, sit as far away as possible from the place where the incense will be burned.

I think the fear is that if there is an allergic reaction, sneezing and coughing might make it difficult for the candidate to receive Holy Communion. I don’t blame her for worrying.

I agree that some people claim that incense bothers them just to get attention. But I think that most people who are bothered really are bothered, and that the candidate should be taken seriously. For whatever reason, many people in the U.S. suffer from allergies and allergic reactions and of course, asthma. Some people say that we are not exposed to enough “dirt” as young children, so we have weak immune systems. Who knows? Like I said, I don’t think we should just ignore the candidate’s concern.
 
I get sick from incense. What’s worked the best for me is to pop 2 or 3 benadryls before Mass. If I do this, I’m good to go.
 
mtnutt said:
I am on the RCIA team at our parish and we have a candidate who suffers from migraines which can be triggered by incense at mass. We have reduced the use of incense as much as possible for the Holy Week services, but I am looking into the possibility of changing our parish incense to avoid these issues in the future, yet allow incense when appropriate.

Does anyone else suffer from this and what have you done to eliminate the problem?

Thanks all.
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A Candidate can be received at any Mass where there are at least some of the faithful present. In special circumstances receive them on a weekday morning Mass if necessary.
 
mtnutt said:
I am on the RCIA team at our parish and we have a candidate who suffers from migraines which can be triggered by incense at mass. We have reduced the use of incense as much as possible for the Holy Week services, but I am looking into the possibility of changing our parish incense to avoid these issues in the future, yet allow incense when appropriate.

Does anyone else suffer from this and what have you done to eliminate the problem?

Thanks all.
Click to expand...
Good thing you not Eastern Orthodox.😛
 
There are several possible triggers.

Plain old natural charcoal apparently produces “clean-burning” smoke with finer particles (hence less coughing) than the quick-lighting charcoal used by many parishes. Some places use lighter fluid, also, and that can cause allergies.

Incense can be scented with something you’re allergic to. I have a little bit of a thing against roses. One time I went to a church that was using a ton of rose-scented incense, and it was not a happy day for me. 🙂

Incense can be made with finer materials and ground up more finely (hence burning clean), or it can be made more cheaply.
 
I suffer from migraines too, they’re not fun…and the incense bothers me. However, I think this is a great time to offer up some of our suffering. I know how awful having a migraine can be, but think how awful it was for Christ to hang on the cross for three hours. Doesn’t really compare if you ask me.
 
Gloria Incense, available from Christ the Savior Seminary in Johnstown, PA, is supposed to be hypoallergenic.

The first recorded sufferer of the deleterious effects of incense was Dr. Thomas Green, dean of Ely Cathedral (Church of England), who stopped its use in the 18th century on the grounds it made his head ache.
 
uwwhitewater84 said:
I get sick from incense. What’s worked the best for me is to pop 2 or 3 benadryls before Mass. If I do this, I’m good to go.
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That’s a lot of diphenhydramine! I’m a big guy and if I took that much, the deacon and priest would be dragging my sleeping carcass out of the church after the mass.

Paul
 
Thanks everyone for the replies.

I am looking into availability and pricing of the Gloria incense to reduce the suffering of all of our allergy sufferers.

I “volunteered” for this task when I asked our RCIA director, who is also the Pastoral Administrator, if the parish had tried the non-allergenic incense. I mentioned reading about it, so she asked me to do the research. I will recommend the Gloria incense next week, she is way too busy this week to deal with this.

I know we won’t be able to fix the problem this week, I was hoping to find a long term solution. Our RCIA director has minimized the use of incense in the Triduum as much as we possibly can without commiting liturgical abuse, and we have arranged the seating for this candidate to minimize her exposure and give her a quick exit if necessary. She also said she has medication she can take if she starts to get a migraine, but it takes about 15 minutes to take effect and she is not sure if she can take it in advance, she is asking her doctor. For Easter and at Christmas from now on, we will have an incense free area for those who are sensitive. We have so many people at those masses that we have to use our parish hall for overflow. We pipe in audio and video of the mass and have EMHC’s distribute communion. The overflow area will be incense free.

It occured to me while I was reading the old threads on this issue that migraines might not be prevented by the Gloria incense and was hoping to get advice on that issue. As usual the forum has come through for me, even though the answer is not real encouraging. At least I know. I appreciate all the comments, they are all helpful.
 
bkovacs said:
Good thing you not Eastern Orthodox.😛
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Yes sir. Not to mention Oriental or Eastern (CC or OC, doesn’t matter). How is it that, in all my many years, I’ve never heard one complaint about incense affecting allergies or migraines, except among non EF-Latins? And the Latin Church uses so little incense in comparison to the East/Orient. Well, maybe we’ve just developed a genetic immunity to the negative aspects of incense.
 
mtnutt said:
I am on the RCIA team at our parish and we have a candidate who suffers from migraines which can be triggered by incense at mass. We have reduced the use of incense as much as possible for the Holy Week services, but I am looking into the possibility of changing our parish incense to avoid these issues in the future, yet allow incense when appropriate.

Does anyone else suffer from this and what have you done to eliminate the problem?

Thanks all.
Click to expand...
My mother suffers from severe dizzyness and congestion; She simply takes her benedryl before.
bkovacs said:
Good thing you not Eastern Orthodox.😛
Click to expand...
malphono said:
Yes sir. Not to mention Oriental or Eastern (CC or OC, doesn’t matter). How is it that, in all my many years, I’ve never heard one complaint about incense affecting allergies or migraines, except among non EF-Latins? And the Latin Church uses so little incense in comparison to the East/Orient. Well, maybe we’ve just developed a genetic immunity to the negative aspects of incense.
Click to expand...
Oh, how true…

Pascha will see clouds of incense; enough to see the smoke throughout the nave!
(Mom avoids the Byzantine parish like the plague on Easter. I now know why she said “no” to Dad’s desire to go Ukrainian back in the 60’s… But I went east anyway.)

It’s much like smokers don’t notice their smoke, neither do byzantine much notice incense consciously.
 
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