Is It Really A Sinus Headache
It is important to first clarify the difference between a full-fledged, real-deal sinus headache , and other forms of headaches like a migraine that could be disguising itself as a sinus headache.
The lovely medically inclined people at the Mayo Clinics webpage on sinus headaches have come up with a list that helps describe the systems of a potential sinus headache:
- Pain, pressure and fullness in your cheeks, brow or forehead
- Worsening pain if you bend forward or lie down
- Stuffy nose
- Fatigue
- Achy feeling in your upper teeth
Migraines can have the symptoms of a stuffy, runny, nose like a sinus headache often does, but a dead give-away of a migraine is nausea and dizziness. Also, an intense sensitivity to light, sound, smell, or sudden movements can be indicators. A migraine can pop up in the front of the head, just like a sinus headache, but they can also move to the back of the head. The pain will have more of a throbbing quality.
Sinus headaches will usually be confined to the facial area. The forehead and cheeks can be tender to the touch, and you might experience nasal drip or a mucous discharge. You can always have a good idea if you have a sinus infection or not if the headache comes on rather suddenly, have a sensitivity like mentioned above, or if you get sick to your stomach when the headache appears.
Warning Signs And Symptoms Of A Dangerous Sinus Infection
Sinusitis describes inflammation of one or more of the paranasal sinuses, the air-filled spaces in the facial bones that open into the nasal cavity. This condition often occurs because of infection. Although infectious sinusitis is certainly uncomfortable, it usually does not pose a serious health threat. However, rare complications of infectious sinusitis can be dangerous and potentially life threatening if not diagnosed and treated promptly. These complications involve spread of the infection to the structures around the eye, the facial bones and/or the nervous system. Although rare, itâs important watch for warning signs and symptoms that might signal a potentially serious infectious sinusitis complication.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Donât Miss: Emergency Room For Sinus Infection
What Are The Complications Of Sinus Headaches
In rare cases, complications around the eye area can happen, resulting in the area being swollen and inflamed. This may even affect your vision.
If you have a high fever that persists, discolored nasal discharge, rattling in your chest, or difficulty breathing, see your doctor about these symptoms. While a sinus headache might seem like a harmless health condition, its important to determine its cause.
You May Like: Best Medicine For Sinus Pressure And Congestion
Sinus Pressure Points On The Ear
You may be able to relieve sinus pressure by pressing on the ear gate, which is found on top of the ear, just in front of the lobe. Use your thumb and index finger to press and hold the point for about five minutes.
Another pressure point sits at the bottom of the ear, behind the ear lobe. This is called the windscreen. Hold for three to five minutes on both sides of the ear. It may offer you relief from both sinus pain and ear pain.
Can A Sinus Headache Be Prevented
- Good handwashing and hygienic practices can help prevent colds and upper respiratory infections.
- Smoking cessation can also decrease your risk of airway infections.
- For people with allergies, avoid allergic triggers to help prevent sinus infections.
- Keep the body well hydrated and humidify the air since these can help promote efficient drainage of fluids from the sinuses.
Recommended Reading: Does Advil Cold And Sinus Make You Drowsy
Five Ways To Relieve Sinus Pressure
The pain, facial pressure and congestion of sinus infections affect more than 26.9 million Americans roughly 11 percent of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Most sinus infections, also called sinusitis, do not need to be treated with antibiotics, and will usually go away within 7-10 days.
One of the most annoying symptoms is the sinus pressure around the eyes, head and cheeks. Fortunately, there are several home remedies and medications that can help provide relief.
What Is The Fastest Way To Get Rid Of A Sinus Headache
The fastest way to get rid of a sinus headache is to determine the cause and begin proper treatment. Medication and home remedies are the fastest way to get rid of sinus headaches.
If your sinus headache is caused by a virus, it will go away on its own, usually within 7 to 10 days. If your sinus headache is caused by bacteria or fungus, you may need to be prescribed antibiotics to help fight the infection. This requires a consultation with a medical doctor, so that they can decide which antibiotic and steroid to prescribe for you.
If your sinus headache is caused by seasonal allergies or the common cold, you may need to take some over-the-counter medications and begin home remedies. You can also begin taking vitamin C supplements before allergy season to stave off severity.
Read: Sinusitis Treatment: Antibiotics & Other Remedies
Don’t Miss: How To Clear A Clogged Ear Due To Sinus Congestion
Sinus Relief The Natural Way
Sinus pressure and pain can be mild or quite severe. The cause of these symptoms is often a cold, allergies, or sinusitis . Regardless of what causes your symptoms, relief may be closer than you think.
In the following slides, learn how to treat sinus problems with natural remedies and home remedies. We provide a variety of strategies to combat nasal congestion, from neti pots and saline nasal sprays to hydration and avoiding irritants, starting with humidifying your air.
Breathe Moist Air
You may be wondering how to relieve sinus pressure. For sinus pressure relief that lasts for hours, try keeping a humidifier on in your bedroom or other rooms where you spend a lot of time. Dry air can irritate your sinuses, but keeping air moist can help reduce congestion. Inhaling steam two to four times a day may help, too. Sit in the bathroom with the door closed and the shower running. Make sure the water is hot.
Make The Sinus Pain And Mind
“Techniques that take advantage of the mind-body connection, such as deep breathing practices and relaxation exercises, can be very effective for relieving sinus pain,” notes Das. These practices rely on the mind’s ability to influence pain perception and are especially helpful with chronic or recurrent pain that is often seen with sinus pressure. Some examples include biofeedback, meditation, yoga, and hypnotherapy.
Read Also: Does Prednisone Help With Sinus Infection
Sinus Headache Vs Migraine
According to the American Migraine Foundation, 50 percent of migraine misdiagnoses start with a person thinking they have a sinus headache. The Mayo Clinic points out that 90 percent of people who go to the doctor for a sinus headache find out they have a migraine instead.
If you dont have any of the symptoms that come specifically with a sinus headache, you may be experiencing a migraine. Migraines are treated differently from sinus headaches. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or sensitivity to light, youre likely having a migraine and not a sinus headache.
Causes Of Sinus Pressure Headaches
Sinus headaches and inflammation can have a number of causes, including:
- Common cold virus or other rhinoviruses
- Flu virus
- Allergies
- Changes in humidity
Each of these different causes has different treatments, so its important to understand what is causing your symptoms in order to find a successful treatment.
Also Check: Walmart Brand Advil Cold And Sinus
What Helps Tooth Pain Caused By Sinus Infection
The key to completely resolving tooth pain from sinus infection is to clear up the sinus infection. Once the inflammation of your maxillary sinuses goes down, the pressure on the nerves to the maxillary teeth should subside as well, ending the sinus-related toothache. In the meantime, pain relief measures used to manage the pressure from your sinus infection may also help with the discomfort, including the use of:
- Over-the-counter pain relief medications,
- Nasal sprays, and
- Over-the-counter decongestants.
If your sinus infection is actually caused by a dental issue, only resolving the dental issue will resolve your sinus pain and toothache long-term.
You May Like: Ways To Ease Sinus Pain
Why Are Sinus Headaches And Migraines Confused For One Another
So, the answer to the question, Can you have sinus pressure but now congestion? is: not likely. But you can have a migraine whether youre congested or not, and this is where the main point of confusion arises.The root cause behind migraines is still up for debate. However the prevailing theory is that migraines are caused by neurological issues in the brain. Even so, the symptoms of sinus pressure can overlap with symptoms of a migraine. For example, patients suffering from either sinus pressure or migraines can experience drainage, watery eyes, and of course, facial pain.
It is a commonly held belief that people who experience migraines have pain on the one side or the otherof their head. While this idea is true for many individuals, many others experience pain in their cheeks and forehead ie, in the exact same place where you would experience sinus pressure. And some people experience sinus pressure on one side of their head.People who experience migraines also frequently claim that factors such as weather changes, allergies, and congestion can act as triggers for their headaches contributing factors also shared with sinus headaches.
You May Like: How To Relieve Sinus Pressure In My Face
Allergies And Sinus Headaches
Ever heard that allergies cause sinus headaches? Itâs not quite that simple.
Allergies can cause sinus congestion, which can make your head hurt. Treatment for your allergies can ease that congestion, but it wonât relieve your headache pain. You usually have to treat the two conditions separately. See your doctor to make sure you get the right help.
Show Sources
How Do You Get Rid Of A Sinus Headache Fast
Don’t Miss: Best Medication To Stop Sinus Drainage
What Makes The Bridge Of Your Nose Hurt
It is believed that trauma is the most common cause of bridge of nose pain. Sports, car accidents, or a fight could be common examples ofnasal trauma. A nose injury can become swollen without obvious signs. People may want to consider merely bruising when they are injured in the nose.
Best 17 Tips On How To Get Rid Of A Sinus Headache
How to get rid of a sinus headache naturally?It is a matter of concern, and this is not surprising considering that 5% of Americans have a headache at any given point of time. They are best classified as secondary headaches, and this could be attributed to the fact that there is invariably an underlying cause which is responsible for these headaches.
You May Like: How Much Does Sinus Surgery Cost
Eucalyptus Oil With Olive Oil Or Coconut Oil
With the strong anti-inflammatory properties inside, eucalyptus oil can help you to decrease inflammation and mucus production. When you want to get rid of sinus headache, you just need to consult these steps below:
- Take a few drops of eucalyptus oil
- After that, dilute with two teaspoons of olive oil or coconut oil
- Then rub this mixture of oil gently the aching and swollen areas
- Do this remedy several times per day as needed
Besides, you can use eucalyptus oil as this way:
- Pour a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a cotton pad or a clean handkerchief
- Take it close to your nose
- Breathe in
- Do this process as needed. It will give you an immediate relief from sinus headache
What Can An Ent Do To Reduce Or Prevent Sinus Pain
There are multiple ways to relieve sinus pain including, pain-free balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty is an endoscopic nasal surgery that uses small balloon catheters to drain the large nasal sinuses. This is an almost immediate way to relieve pressure and can dramatically improve the quality of life for those with a deviated septum.
Request an appointment to see if balloon sinuplasty is the right treatment option for you.
More Helpful Articles by Kaplan Sinus Relief:
You May Like: Wisdom Teeth Sinus Pain Relief
What Gets Rid Of Sinus Pressure
Avoid Smoke And Noxious Fumes
The air you breathe could be making your sinuses ache, depending on what that air is carrying. Avoid cigarette smoke and fumes from
- harsh cleaning products,
- hair spray, and
- perfumes.
With a world full of industrial chemicals and people who smoke, how can you keep your sinus problems at bay? Here are a couple of tips:
- Don’t let friends or family smoke in your home.
- Look for “green” cleaning products in unscented varieties. They’re less likely to contain the harsh chemicals that can kick-start sinus pressure and pain.
Read Also: Best Over The Counter Allergy Medicine For Sinus Pressure
How Blurred Vision Is A Result Of Sinus Complications
You must be surprised to know but it is true that many people who have been suffering from chronic sinusitis had to experience blurred vision which is the most critical sinus complication. The constant effect of sinusitis can encourage sight issues in which blurred vision, seeing floaters or double vision are few of them. The vision issues can be an outcome of sinus inflammation or pressure on the backside of eyeballs. An infection to eye socket can create great amount of discomfort that can be managed only with intense medical care. A delay in medical attention can cause blindness or eye damage for permanent.
Sinus Congestion May Affect Vision
Sinusitis And Your Eyes: Protecting Your Vision
How can sinus disease and treatment affect your vision?
Sinusitis generally affects anything above your head. The nose, your face, your throat, and most importantly, your eyes. When infection impacts your sinuses, the surrounding area tends to suffer as well. The closest thing to your sinuses is your eyes. In fact, the sinuses surround eyes. As the disease progresses and becomes chronic sinusitis, youll experience symptoms in this area. In rare cases, treatment for the disease can also have an impact on your vision.
Read Also: Difference Between Migraine And Sinus Headache
Don’t Miss: Heal Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics
Remedies For Sinus Headaches
Have questions? Use our contact form to get in touch with us today! Contact Us
Sinus headaches are caused by blocked sinuses, giving you pain and pressure around your sinuses, including between your eyes and above your nose. The pain can get worse when you move and the headache usually comes with other symptoms too, such as a stuffy nose or a sore throat. Experiencing a sinus headache can be tough, but there are remedies that can help you to deal with the problem.
Dealing with the pain you’re experiencing is important, but it can also be necessary to consider treatments for the underlying cause of your sinus headaches too. An ear, nose and throat doctor might prescribe certain medications or suggest treatments that you can try at home.
How Do You Know If Youre Experiencing Sinus Pressure
Before we get into the weeds of answering the question, Can you have sinus pressure but no congestion? its important that we review the basics of sinus pressure.
A sinus headache is a symptom of built-up pressure in the sinus cavities typically causing maxillary sinus pain. This buildup occurs when your nasal passages mucus can no longer drain properly. In other words, sinus pressure and the sinus sinus headaches it causes are linked to congestion.Since pressure buildup can get intense, many people have confused sinus pressure for a migraine and vice versa. However, sinus pressure is typically accompanied with other symptoms and frequently occurs in tandem with certain conditions.
If youre experiencing any of the following situations, you may be feeling the effects of sinus pressure instead of a migriane:
- You are feeling throbbing around your eyes, forehead, and nose. You may also be feeling this throbbing in your cheeks, jaw, ears, teeth, or back of the head.
- You are currently suffering from allergies or have a sinus infection.
- You have thick mucus.
- You feel the majority of the pain in the morning.
Keep in mind that if you do have sinus pressure, this doesnt necessarily mean you have a sinus infection. Everyday, non-serious issues, including allergies and the common cold can lead to sinus pressure and sinus headaches.
If you are experiencing congestion, here are a few quick tips on how to get rid of sinus congestion.
Recommended Reading: Buy Advil Cold And Sinus
What Are The Best Sinus Headache Treatments
If youre suffering from headaches, they could have several different causes, including congestion in your sinuses. You may feel pain and pressure in your face due to sinusitis , and the first step toward effective treatment is an accurate diagnosis.
In this blog, board-certified ear, nose, and throat specialist Dr. Cecil Yeung will explain more about these types of headaches as well as sinus headache treatment.