Chinese Food & Migraine Headaches

ScorpioHR · July 2005

We have an employee that gets severe migraine headaches from smelling chinese food. She advised her department of this on Monday, they decided to test the theory on Tuesday and without telling her, they ordered chinese food. I received a phone call from this ee, hysterical on the way to the hospital to be treated for the migraine. This is the 2nd time this has happened with this ee. She was previously in a different department and chinese food was ordered, same results.

I am baffled. Is this a disability? Can I tell the workers in this building they may not order chinese food? I would think I would surely be stepping on somebody's rights, looking for a call from a lawyer or something else.

Man oh man, does it never stop? Any ideas for me on how to handle this and stay out of hot water?
Thanks.
Scorpio

LivindonSouth · July 2005

What is Chinese Food? Are you talking about the process the Chinese use to cook food? Let's see, the Chinese buffet usually contains pork, chicken, pasta of various types, egg in chicken broth (egg drop soup), green peppers, shrimp, more chicken cooked other ways, rice. What the hell is she alergic to? Cardboard boxes with little wire handles?

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

ray a · July 2005

By any chance is she an amateur thespian?

Crout · July 2005

Maybe she's allergic to working for a living. The answer to your question is no, it will NEVER stop. But, seriously, when she called you on the way to the hospital what was she looking for you to do? Did she request an accommodation? Has she submitted any documentation to clarify just what her affliction is? I'd probably meet with her to determine just what she wants, then plan the best course of action. Chinese food, by the way, is not a protected class and stipulating that it staying out of that department area violates no law, so I don't think you'd have to worry about a law suit coming from that direction.

marc · July 2005

First of all, the experiment was totally out of line. If someone came to you warning of a peanut allergy and this was tested in similar fashion, the result could be tragic - people can die from allergic reactions. The fact that it is a debilitating migraine is of course, not a life and death issue, but to the migraine sufferer, the pain and trauma can be quite severe - just look at what happened to your EE.

People should be written up - this sounds like an assault - and since the same result had already happened - it is double eggregious. What are people thinking here?

There is a documented link between MSG and some migraine headaches, but it is not universal, it is just one of many food allergies that can trigger migraines in some people.

Migraines are still fairly mysterious in many aspects. Smells can trigger them, foods, bright lights, menstrual cycles are just a small sample.

There are lots of different treatments with varying degrees of success for individuals. Perhaps she needs to revisit her doctor - in self defense if nothing else.

As to what you should do as a company, it strikes me that she gets little sympathy from her co-workers. Her migraines are not going to dictate what they want to eat!

This is similar to people who have severe perfume allergies or severe reactions to peanuts. It can be deadly for some and those who are not affected just do not get it.

I am getting a bit wound up here, perhaps because I get migraines and have for 30 years. Mine are mild compared to your EE and my symptoms can be treated with medication that still allows me to be productive.

I cannot express to you how angry I would be if I knew people were deliberately trying to cause a migraine to be triggered. I can tell you that when my medication fails, and it does on occasion, I am out for about 36 hours with severe head pain, naseau, and extreme sensitivity to lights.

I would not wish this on anyone.

I think you need to re-examine your bias against this EE.

szemcumo · July 2005

I too am a migraine sufferer and this is no joking matter. Unless you have had one you just don't understand. If it were not for my medication I would be out of commission several days per month. Like Marc replied there are many triggers, I can not wear perfume or be in small spaces if the smell is too strong. I had to ask my assistant not to wear perfume in our small shared office. She understood and was not offered by my request. I have heard where MSG common in Chinese food can trigger one. My late husband although didn't suffer from migraines would get a headache if he ate foods prepared with MSG. People need to realize that although they may think it is a minor inconvience not to order something like this for lunch as there are many other options they would be doing a tremendous injustice to intentionally do something that could harm a co-worker. They are not going to suffer if they can't order Chinese anymore but your co-worker most certainly will if they do. DO UNTO OTHERS folks. I would be very careful not to let it get around that they intentionally ordered that lunch as a test.

Gillian3 · July 2005

I don't have personal experience, thankfully, but there is a reason why FMLA regulations, in the description of illnesses which do not qualify, has "except migraine headaches" in parenthesis after "headaches". Marc has said why that is.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

But rather than getting all emotionally wound around the axle, why don't the migraine sufferers who are contributing here just simply inform the rest of us that the situation is probably due to a reaction to MSG. That's what the questioner seemed to be asking for, a simple answer, not a diatribe on how insensitive the rest of us are and a littany of personal medical experiences. I have noticed over the last 4+ years that migraine sufferers ALWAYS have one finger on the trigger when the subject comes up on the FMLA thread. Does this sensitivity level go along with the illness? Simple education of the rest of us would do far more good than lecturing and shaking fingers in faces. Just my opinion and I can certainly take the heat that will follow. x:-)

On a lighter note, and speaking of Chinese food, Confuscious is rumored to have said: "Man who want attention from pretty nurse must be patient."

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

Gillian3 · July 2005

This is not heat, but just my opinion. I think that most people view migraines as just another headache and it is frustrating when it is hard those who have them to get others to view it any other way. I also think that the personal history is shared because that often brings reality home rather than education in a nuetral way.

szemcumo · July 2005

Ditto.

globex · July 2005

Gillian3:

Migraines are not "...just another headache...." My wife has them and takes meds for them as needed. I have an allergy to MSG but it affects my breathing as I also have asthma. I am not aware, however, that smelling the fumes that contain MSG would cause such a reaction...I only have the problem when I ingest it.

marc · July 2005

Quite a bit of my "axle winding" comes from the deliberate trigger of the migraine as described in the original post.

That assault is apparently being dismissed as being not important. Talk about a hostile work environment. The EE has an episode in another department that causes a rush to a hospital - apparently brought on in some fashion by the smell of chinese food.

The EE is now in another department and makes her sensitivity known. The very next opportunity - the next lunch - the department decides it will see if they can secretly trigger another migraine, and they do so. Yet there is no mention of discipline or the creation of a hostile work place. Instead there is some worry that the department in question will not be able to order chinese food now and is that reasonable?

As to what triggers it, it could be atmospheric pressure for all any of us can tell. Even the experts, who have spent entire careers studying the phenomenom, cannot readily diagnose these things.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

OK, so it's only the personal experience that ratchets it up to a level above reason to one of preaching. I think a stranger phenomenon is that the only time this happens is when we are discussing migraines, like everyone should be afraid to comment for fear of causing some migraine sufferer to crank off a round or two. Well, maybe not the 'only' time, but certainly 'every' time. Every time I see a mention of migraine, I think "Oh hell!"

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

marc · July 2005

Yes, I have personal experience - that certainly gives the discussion context for me. I do not crank off a round or two when the topic comes up, nor do I usually characterize posters as not being sensitive to the issue.

Migraine questions more frequently revolve around intermittent leave questions or whether or not they even qualify for FML. When I respond to those issues, it usually is just a comment regarding the regs or administration of them.

Again, for me, the cavalier experiment that sent an EE rushing to the hospital shows a patent disregard for the person. It just so happens that this was a migraine issue.

A similar experiment to test one's reaction to perfume, or cigarette smoke would invoke a similar observation. I may not empathise as much since I am not allergic to those items, but the disregard displayed is still an issue that should be addressed.

Since that disregard was deliberate, I think this could rise to the level of hostile work environment.

"Can I tell the workers in this building they may not order chinese food? I would think I would surely be stepping on somebody's rights, looking for a call from a lawyer or something else."

Maybe I misinterpreted this, but I thought Scorpio was inferring a greater regard for the departments right to order chinese food than a regard for the EE who was rushed to the hospital. In this case, the EE in the hospital would get more consideration from me than an EE with a craving for egg rolls.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

"a greater regard for the departments right to order chinese food than a regard for the EE who was rushed to the hospital." Marc, you've allowed your personal experience to drive you emotionally on this one. There is no mention of an 'employee being rushed to a hospital'. You seem to envision one bleeding to death in the back of an ambulance while medical staff pound away on their chest. The word hysterical was used but I seriously doubt that the woman was truly suffering from hysteria. If the truth were to come out of an investigation, I imagine one employee had chinese food in her cubicle and this woman acted out, probably in a fashion characteristic of her behavior. But, that is entirely speculative on my part. I do know, though, that nobody was 'rushed to the hospital'. Scorpio, you may have a workers' comp case on your hands if indeed medical attention was sought.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

dchr9203 · July 2005

I think the MSG has to be ingested. Never heard of it causing any symptoms otherwise. Now the smell of chinese food is another matter!

lorrie · July 2005

I can't help but wonder if this person has offended others in her department, or been otherwise annoying in some way. If someone in my department mentioned that the smell of Chinese Food gave them migraines, I certainly would not go out & order it. It sounds like the 'group' who wanted to test it did not believe her, and perhaps thought of her as a hypochondriac. (Although this does not excuse their behavior.)

As for your question, if this were my office, and IF Chinese food were the only issue, I would inform those in the nearby area that they should refrain from having Chinese food brought in. It seems like a courtesy thing to me, and we should all work together to make the work environment acceptable to everyone. (I agree that migraines are no small matter.) I would not make a company policy, just a courtesy request. (Although there are no legal rights to an employee who wants Chinese food brought in.) If someone continued later, I would deal with them one-on-one, but I would hope everyone would be considerate after it came from management.

Then, if the employee asks for some accommodation, deal with the request as it is presented.

AnnGee · July 2005

I hope this office of people are not that insensitive, so perhaps this ee has prior requests that did not make sense. Shame on those people if they did just order the Chinese Food to test her honesty.

ScorpioHR · July 2005

Yikes, I am sorry for the confusion and hostility my post is generating, it was not my intention. First let me address this comment

"Maybe I misinterpreted this, but I thought Scorpio was inferring a greater regard for the departments right to order chinese food than a regard for the EE who was rushed to the hospital. In this case, the EE in the hospital would get more consideration from me than an EE with a craving for egg rolls".

Yes, you absolutely misinterpreted. I have no issue with the employee suffering the migraine. I was present the 1st time this happened and her pain was very real. I was extremely annoyed at the treatment she received from her fellow workers and have every intention of writing them up for their actions. My sister has suffered from migraines for years and I do have close, personal experience.

What I came to the forum for was advise on what I could and could not do regarding telling the rest of the building they may not order chinese food. I did not want to step on some "obscure, small print rule" somewhere. As for the post from Lorrie, yes, this person has created havoc and discord everywhere I have placed her in the company. I brought her into the admin offices where I am so I could monitor her more closely and see if her job at the company could be saved.

To my mind, this has nothing to do with how she was treated yesterday. Had she returned to work today, I would have gathered all the employees involved and made it understood that this is not to happen again.

I used to post on the forum a fair bit, I really valued the input and expertise to be found here. The frustration at the end of my post was with the situation, not an ill employee.

So, thank you all for your input.
Scorpio

HRLASS · July 2005

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 07-21-05 AT 09:50AM (CST)[/font][br][br]I evidently picked up on this late, but for my two cents -

What the employee group did in "testing" her was basically assault after they had been informed of the problem. I agree with others, I have known several people with severe reactions to food prepared with MSG. I know several people with migranes and it's no laughing matter. I also had a boss who had sensitivity to scented matter, i.e. perfume, scented lotions, anti-perspirant, etc. I admit it was offensive when she came and smelled me, but as I don't care for such things and have had my own problems with them, skipping scented items was not a problem.

Suggestions: 1) Discipline the work group that deliberately did this and emphasize that such "experiments" can be lethal. 1A) Inform them that while she's out with the migrane, hospitalized or otherwise, they will be doing her work in addition to their own. 2) Talk to the employee and tell her that while her allergy inconveniences others, she needs to work hard at being more accommodating to them in other ways. 3) If you have to have Chinese food a)eat out, b) order on her day off, c) give her warning (and allowance) to get out of the office, probably for the day.

Good luck!

Crout · July 2005

What a minute. According to marc, all the experts on migraines have very little information as to what triggers an event. If that's true, then how can you establish a logical cause and effect for the purposes of discipline? It sounds to me that the EE herself can't pin down a reason, other than the nebulous statement that it's the smell of "Chinese food," whatever that means. It could just as easily have been caused by the smell of printer ink, or any host of smells in any office. I'm not trying to condone the insensitive actions of her co-workers, and I have nothing but sympathy for folks who suffer, but I think if you're talking about employee discipline it's only fair to have more concrete evidence.

franfields · July 2005

The reason you can establish a logical cause and effect is because, although there are many causes and they may be different for different individuals, many suffers have established some of the triggers specific to them. Many sufferers have kept detailed diaries to establish this for themselves and their doctors. This individual may know that Chinese food, probably the MSG, is one trigger for migraines in her case.

PS I used to get terrible migraines following Chinese food until Chinese restaurants started using less MSG.

Crout · July 2005

Yeah, but you actually ATE the food, correct? That's concrete cause and effect. This business of the "smells" is just too nebulous. It reminds me of the Salem Witch Trials, where the judges relied on "spectral evidence," meaning demons ONLY the accuser could see. Again, it's not a bad idea to admonish the insensitivity of her co-workers, and try to reach a solution, but employee discipline is a different matter.

LisaMN2 · July 2005

Don't you think there's just a wee bit of an overreaction here?

Assault by her fellow employees, how does this rise to the level of a crime? I hardly think so. Ignorance? absolutely.

So what's the plan? Bring the work group together, explain that what they did was way out of line and why and place a warning in each of their files.

I didn't read whether or not the employee has asked for or is covered by the FMLA. That would be the next step. If she has been diagnosed by her doc with migraines and she qualifies in all other respects, offer the protection of the FMLA for instances when she must miss work.

Just as an aside I have also suffered from migraines periodically (that's not a pun Don). However, would never assume that the migraines were any else's responsibility but my own. If smells trigger your migraines then its up to you to avoid the smells. What does this woman do if she drives by a chinese restaurant? does she never go to the mall that has chinese fast food?

LivindonSouth · July 2005

I think most women suffer from headaches periodically. But, holdonaminit, as Crout might say; has anybody filled out the workers' comp paperwork? An employee who has an illness or injury caused by or precipitated at work, who leaves the facility and receives medical treatment is an automatic WC case. And don't forget the drug screen.

Now, back to Scorpio. I'm beginning to wonder just what kind of menagerie she has down there in Florida. Women who try to sicken a coworker, supervisors who sabotage the hiring process while Scorpio is on vacation, technicians who are nuts, people who get to go home for the day anytime they want to by claiming it's a 'mental day', doctors who chase nurses around the ward and into the broom closets.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

Open1 · July 2005

There has been some great dialogue here! Thanks all, esp. Marc, I enjoyed your comments.

In addition to a possible workers' claim, has anyone considered this as possible disability harassment?

[url]http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2003/12/29/smallb2.html[/url]
Eighth Circuit concluded that the ADA could impose liability on employers for hostile work environments created by disability harassment in the workplace.

LivindonSouth · July 2005

As has been suggested by others, I would be in favor of holding off on all this speculation pending an investigation of who did what. My hunch is that one person had food in a cubicle and the woman acted out for attention. Stone me if I'm wrong, but wait till the report is in before you purchase stones.

Disclaimer: This message is not intended to offend or attack. It is posted as personal opinion. If you find yourself offended or uncomfortable, email me and let me know why.

System · July 2005

Here's how it probably went:

Bonnie: "Anybody want to order out for lunch today?"

Rachel: "Yeah, I'm in the mood for Chinese."

Laura: "We can't order Chinese. Beulah gets migraines from the smell of Chinese food."

Bonnie: "Say what? I've never heard of anything like that. How can she prove that?"

Laura: "I don't know. That's what she says."

Rachel: "Well, we could always order it anyway. If she gets a headache, we'll guess there might be something to it. I've never heard of anything like that either. She's a hypocondriac. There's always something wrong with her.

Bonnie: "Yeah, it's all in her head. Ha. Ha. You get it?" (Bonnie is a Brunette.)

The group clearly does not understand nor believe there is a connection with the Chinese food and the migraines. They are not deliberately conducting a controlled experiement, nor are they harassing another employee. They are simply uneducated. Once a connection is clearly established by a physician's note, I would take some reasonable and courteous action to prevent it from happening again.

ScorpioHR · July 2005

The investigation has been concluded and both employee's were fully aware of the migraine situation. They heard it right from "the horse's mouth" so to speak!

SMoll, I was waiting for you to weigh in!!!lol. Yes, they are "simply uneducated" for sure. Their direct report is writing them both up.

As for

"Now, back to Scorpio. I'm beginning to wonder just what kind of menagerie she has down there in Florida"

Believe me, so am I. You have no idea. I laughed so hard when I read this last evening that I cried x:'( I was particularly amused by the "mental health day" comment since that was exactly my plan for today....leave it all behind and take a mental health day. Maybe now it is a little more understandable why we get them. We need them!!!

Thank you all for your excellent comments/suggestions and yes, the humor. I need it here with my "menagerie"

scorpioxhugs

dchr9203 · July 2005

How come these imaginative scenarios include only female participants? Don't men in office cubes order out for Chinese too?!

Crout · July 2005

The sense I get from reading various posts over the last year or two is that while men do order take-out (how elase could we survive?) we are less likely to have an episode like this, where the smell of something drives us to seek emergency medical treatment. As I said, I'm not basing my statement on hard data. It's just that it seems to me whenever one these posts pops up there's a female employee involved. Does that say bad things about all women? No more than it says bad things about all men when a guy shoots up his place of employment.

Chinese Food & Migraine Headaches

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