Your head is throbbing, you have pressure in your cheeks and around your eyes, you have another sinus headache! It can easily ruin your day and make you miserable. What is causing this type of headache, and how can you treat it?
Your sinuses are small spaces filled with air located behind the bridge of your nose and, inside you cheekbones and forehead. They start to swell from an infection or allergic reaction, which produces mucus. The inflammation blocks them from draining properly. Causing the onset of pain, pressure, and other symptom.
Symptoms of a sinus headache also include a stuffy nose, yellow or green nasal discharge, fatigue, fever, aching in the upper teeth, and facial swelling. Often times, people with sinus headaches think they may have a migraine, since their discomfort are similar.
The Mayo Clinic reveals the relationship between migraines and sinus headaches
Both migraine and sinusitis headache pain often gets worse when you bend forward. Migraine can also be accompanied by various nasal signs and symptoms — including congestion, facial pressure and a clear, watery nasal discharge. These are due to involvement of the autonomic nervous system in a migraine attack. In fact, studies have shown that approximately 90% of people who see a doctor for sinus headaches are found to have migraines instead.
Sinusitis, however, usually isn’t associated with nausea or vomiting or aggravated by noise or bright light — all common features of migraines.
Sinusitis usually occurs after a viral upper respiratory infection or cold and includes thick, discolored nasal mucus, decreased sense of smell, and pain in one cheek or upper teeth. Headaches due to sinus disease often last days or longer, and migraines most commonly last hours to a day or two.
If you’re experiencing a severe sinus headache or other symptoms, it’s best to see your ENT specialist. He or she will be able to tell you if you have an infection, allergic reaction, or another type of inflammation and recommend a course of treatment to help you feel more comfortable.
