How To Relieve A Sinus Migraine

Spice Up Your Diet To Ease Sinus Pressure

“Many people find that spicy food like peppers or hot mustard opens up their nasal passages and gives them some relief from sinus pain. There is good evidence that capsaicin, which is the active ingredient found in chile peppers, is effective in relieving some types of pain,” says Das. Capsaicin preparations have been investigated for the treatment of some facial pain syndromes and of rhinitis with promising results. But if you have the taste for them, you can try spicy foods to help with sinus discomfort.

Hot And Cold Compress

One of the best home remedies for sinus headache is an alternate hot and cold compress. When moist moderate heat is applied on the sinus region it eases the pressure and loosens the thick mucus. Whereas when cold compress is applied, it provides relief from the pain by constricting the blood vessels in the sinus region.

• Take some water and heat it. Make sure the temperature is warm enough such that your facial skin can handle it without any burns or other discomfort.
• Soak a wash cloth or face towel in this water and wring out the excess.
• Fold and place the towel on your face covering the sinus region .
• Leave it for 3 minutes.
• Remove the face towel and soak it in cold water.
• Wring out the excess, fold and place on forehead for 30 seconds.
• Close your eyes and relax.
• Repeat the process 2 â 4 times in a day.

Sinus Headache Symptoms & Treatment Options

Sinus headaches can bring acute discomfort to the sufferer, and are commonly experienced as pain across the forehead, nose and cheekbones. Sharp movements of the head can result in bursts of pain, making everyday life uncomfortable.

For many sufferers, diagnosing whether you have a sinus issue or a migraine can be tricky. If you or your child areexperiencing the symptoms of sinus headache or a possible migraine, Dr. Chacko will diagnose the issue and work to find the best sinus treatment solution for you. Serving families in the Atlanta area, Chacko Allergy is ready to help.

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How Does A Doctor Know Whether Its Sinus Or Migraine

Migraine is a clinical diagnosis, says Weber. That means that the doctor will ask you about your family history of migraine, allergies, and any other symptoms to determine if you have migraine or sinus headache.

To help your doctor make the correct diagnosis, it can be really helpful to track what youre experiencing, says Lauren Doyle Strauss, DO, a headache specialist and assistant professor at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Write down your symptoms, says Strauss. Where is the pain located? Are you tired or dizzy? Are you sensitive to light or sound? Do you have an upset stomach or vomiting?

In addition to considering your symptoms, there can be tests used to identify sinus problems. A headache caused by a sinus infection is typically diagnosed with a CT scan of the sinuses, says Weber.

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How Do You Diagnose Sinus Headaches Caused By Migraines

Sinus headaches are most likely due to migraines or tension headaches. Migraines are diagnosed by symptoms, including the frequency and severity of symptoms, family history, and by physical exam. Migraines can also include nausea and vomiting. These episodes may be triggered by hormonal changes, lack of sleep, certain foods or alcohol or caffeine, stress, or environmental changes like weather, altitude changes, or allergens. Many patients with migraines have family members who also experience migraine headaches.

If you have unusual or severe symptoms, additional tests such as an MRI of the brain may be ordered to rule out more serious conditions that can cause headache pain, such as tumors or bleeding around the brain. If you have repeated episodes of sinus pain and pressure, a nasal endoscopy or imaging such as an MRI or CT scan can determine if sinus pain or pressure is due to a sinus infection or other sinus pathology. A normal sinus CT scan while you have symptoms could help rule out sinusitis, and determine if migraines, headaches, or other causes of facial pain and pressure are causing the sinus symptoms.

Other causes of facial pain and pressure can include temporomandibular joint syndrome, clenching or grinding your teeth, trigeminal nerve pain, temporal arteritis , dental infection, or other neurologic causes of facial pain.

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Treatment Options For Sinus Headaches

Inflamed sinuses are commonly the cause of these sinus headaches. To find the right treatment, it is important to diagnose whats causing the inflammation does it result from allergies, an infection, or other issues?

Antihistamines and Decongestants

If you are experiencing allergies, you may be prescribed antihistamines and/or a decongestant to resolve the issue.

Home Remedies

Simple, traditional home remedies can ease the pain by reducing the inflammation and unblocking your nose. Drinking plenty of water, using a dehumidifier, or applying a warm towel to your face can provide relief for a sinus headache.

Antibiotics

A bacterial infection is a more severe case of sinusitis, and this may require antibiotics. We work with families in Alpharetta, Cumming, Duluth, Roswell, Johns Creek and beyond to find a sinus headache treatment solution that works best.

Surgery

While surgery is a less common solution, there are instances where it could be the best option. Recurring sinus problems and issues with drainage may require a simple surgical procedure to repair sinus tissue.

Steam For Sinus Headache

Taking a facial steam helps to moisten the nasal passages, clear the blocked nose and open up the congested sinus cavities. This eventually helps you drain out the mucus and breathe easily. It is one of the instantly effective home remedies for sinus headache.

• Take some water enough for a facial steam and bring it to boil.
• Once the water is boiled, remove from the flame and add few drops of essential oil .
• Lean forward towards the bowl containing hot water. Make sure your face is at least 30cms away from the water to avoid burns on your face.
• Cover your head with a towel or bedsheet in such a way that the steam vapours donât escape.
• Now breathe through your nostrils and feel the steam going in them.
• Release out from your mouth. Repeat this for 5 counts. Now reduce the inhaling and exhaling to 2 counts.
• Continue doing this for 10 minutes or until the water is steaming.
• Make sure to blow your nose during and after the treatment to remove the mucus draining.
• Continue doing this for 1 to 2 minute or until you can tolerate.
• Remove the towel and relax to feel calm and cooler.
• Repeat the process again one more time.
• Inhale the vapours of hot tea or soup to stimulate a steam treatment when you are at work or outside. You can repeat this treatment once in every 2 hours for relief.

Note:

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Massage The Pain Away

A regular massage may seem like a luxury, but when a migraine strikes, it can be the best way to relive all that’s built up in your head.

Learn how to give yourself a calming and pain relieving massage, and you can prevent your migraines from growing worse, quickly. As you stretch and massage both the neck and the base of the scalp, you will stimulate blood flow and relaxation, sending the pain away from your head.

Check out Theory & Practice of Therapeutic Massage for more on how to relieve the pain of headaches and migraines through massage.

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What Tests Diagnose The Causes Of A Sinus Headache

It is important that the cause of the headache be diagnosed. Many patients who believe that they have sinus headaches may instead have migraine or tension headaches.

The health-care professional will likely begin by taking a history of the symptoms to help come to the diagnosis. Contributing factors in the development of sinusitis and headache may include a recent cold or upper respiratory tract infection, history of smoking, environmental allergies to dust or molds, as well as recent airplane travel, swimming or SCUBA diving, or other activities involving air pressure changes within the facial sinuses.

Physical examination may reveal tenderness to percussion, or tapping, over the affected sinus that reproduces the pain. Examination of the ears may reveal a serous otitis, or fluid levels behind the eardrum in the middle ear, that may suggest drainage problems in the face and sinuses. Examination of the nose may reveal swollen nasal passages and discharge. Evaluation of the mouth and teeth may find a source of infection, and the back of the throat may be examined for signs of postnasal drainage.

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What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor

Sinus Headaches Migraines And Tension Headaches: How To Tell Them Apart

The simplest way to tell a sinus headache, a migraine attack and a tension headache apart is to identify the most independent differences between the symptoms of all three.

This table will help you pick the differences out with ease, as only unique symptoms have been highlighted. Unique symptoms are symptoms that are specific to one of the three conditions and arent shared as common symptoms.

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Get Sinus Headache Relief And A Proper Diagnosis With Mydoc Remotely

With MyDocs virtual consultation features, you dont have to trouble yourself with visiting a clinic and enduring the long queues with a blistering headache.

Book an appointment and see a Singapore-licensed doctor in as little as nine minutes, and get an accurate diagnosis for the cause of your headaches.

Worried about remote consultation not offering medication for your sinus headache? MyDoc offers e-prescription so you can have your medication delivered right to your home. Alternatively, you can pick your medication up from a Guardian pharmacy near you.

Common Sinus Headache Symptoms

• Fever: You won’t always run a temperature when you have a headache caused by sinusitis, but it’s a distinct possibility, especially if the infection is caused by a bacteria rather than a virus. In that case, an antibiotic actually may be in order to knock out the bacteria.
• Purulent nasal discharge: A thick, yellowish or greenish discharge is a sign of infection.
• Ear or upper tooth pain: Ear and upper tooth pain are common complaints in those suffering from a sinus infection.

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Reduce Unhealthy Vices And Protect Yourself

Smoking and cigarette smoke can increase your chances of getting sinusitis by damaging the natural protective elements of your respiratory system. As an added plus, quitting smoking can also help prevent many other episodes of chronic and acute illnesses, apart from just sinusitis.

If air pollution and smog pollute your environment, you can consider donning protective gear like an N95 face mask that can help prevent smoke particles from entering your body and causing discomfort to your nasal passage.

Sinus Headache Cause #: Seasonal Allergies

Sinus headaches may be due to inflammation and swelling that is often related to allergies, says Omid Mehdizadeh, M.D., a board-certified otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, California. One way to know that allergies are to blame, he says, is if you have other allergic symptoms such as:

• Itchy or watery eyes
• A steady sense of sinus pressure

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What Prescription Medications Treat A Sinus Headache Pain And Pressure

Headaches from allergies can be relieved with a prescription for nasal steroids sprays unless there is a contraindication. This may be helpful along with nasal saline rinses to decrease inflammation within the nasal passages and treat or prevent sinusitis.

If a bacterial infection is suspected, the health-care professional may prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection and at the same time make suggestions to treat the underlying inflammation. To establish the diagnosis of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis and the need for antibiotics, your doctor should confirm that symptoms of acute rhinosinusitis have been present for 10 days or are worsening. Symptoms should include pus-like nasal drainage, nasal obstruction, facial pain, or pressure. If the inflammation does not resolve before the antibiotic course is complete, the bacterial infection may recur.

Prescription Medication For Sinus Headache Relief

Prescription medicationis another way to treat sinus headache relief.

These include antihistamines, decongestants and mucolytics, which are medications that help reduce inflammation and swelling in your sinuses and clear your mucus.

Unless your sinusitis is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics are usually not required. If your sinus infection does not resolve or not responding to treatment for more than 3 months, your doctor may recommend a steroid injection into your sinuses, which can start working quickly and usually last for a long time.

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How Can I Get Immediate Relief From Sinus Pain: 10 Sinus Pain Home Remedies To Try

Doing one or more of the things below can provide some temporary relief, but dont use it as a substitute for seeing a doctor, especially if its a recurring problem. Things like bacterial sinus infections can get worse over time if not treated with the proper medication.

Sinus Infection Vs Covid

Some sinus infection and COVID-19 symptoms may overlap. Both illnesses can cause a fever, headaches, nasal congestion, fatigue or a sore throat. Symptoms unique to COVID-19 include body aches, nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. Learn the difference between the cold, flu and COVID-19 based on your symptoms.

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Can A Sinus Headache Cause A Migraine

A common misconception is that sinusitis triggers migraines , but that isnt likely to happen. Sinusitis originates in a different region of the body than migraine and they are not necessarily connected However, the two conditions do share the same nerves that can be stimulated, and they do both produce many of the same chemicals in the body during an attack. There are certain signs that can help distinguish between the two and knowing this can help facilitate appropriate treatment of the condition that is present.

Dr. Ailani explains how easy it can be to mistake a migraine for a sinus headache:

With a sinus infection, you will often have a fever, bright colored mucus from the nose in large amounts, and pain that is worse when you lay down . You may notice the pain is worse in the morning after sleeping for several hours. Occasionally, someone may have a chronic sinus infection, something that has been going on for several months. In this case, a person may not have any symptoms, and may not have a headache either.

If you have a severe headache with sinus type symptoms and also have light or sound sensitivity, upset stomach, lack of appetite, and no fever, and you notice the pain resolves in 4-36 hours- this may be a migraine. If you notice the pain improves when laying in a dark, quiet room, or when taking over the counter pain medication, this again goes along with migraine.

How Can I Treat A Sinus Migraine

To begin with, most sinus migraines are not caused by a sinus infection and should not be treated with antibiotics.

Women may seek out alternative methods in order to provide relief from sinus migraines. Acupuncture, biofeedback, and further relaxation techniques are acclaimed for helping women monitor any stress that could be triggering dreaded migraines. They may also look into craniosacral therapy and cervical spine alignment to further address any nervous system woes.

Lifestyle changes to reduce inflammation causing sinus migraines include optimizing your diet with antioxidants – berries omega 3 antioxidant herbs like turmeric, rosemary, garlic, and cayenne – to reduce oxidative stress. Also, avoiding triggers – caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, etc. – and setting up a regular sleep routine during periods of significant hormonal fluctuations throughout the menstrual cycle, like menses and ovulation, can reduce the amount and severity of headaches.

The aforementioned examples are just a few of the many treatments for headaches and migraines.

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Sinus Migraines: All You Need To Know

Migraines are excruciating conditions that can leave women bedridden and hating life. When combined with pressure and pain in the nasal passages, you end up with a sinus migraine. Continue reading to learn all you need to know about sinus migraines, and get back up and going to a more concentrated you today.

Signs And Symptoms Of A Sinus Infection Or Sinusitis

• If there is an infection, fever, chills, feeling poorly, or achy muscles occur.
• Opaque or greenish-yellow nasal drainage.
• Postnasal drainage, in which secretions drip down to the back of the throat. This can cause a cough and sometimes people have signs like coughing up yellow sputum. However, they may actually be coughing up the drainage that has dripped down from the sinuses instead of coughing up phlegm from the lungs.
• Swollen lymph nodes may occur in the neck if an infection is present, which is no different than the swelling of lymph nodes that accompanies an acute sore throat or ear infection .

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