Sinus Headache Vs Migraine
According to the American Migraine Foundation, 50 percent of migraine misdiagnoses start with a person thinking they have sinus headache. Up to 90 percent of people who go to the doctor for sinus headache find out they have migraine instead.
People with migraine may develop symptoms similar to sinusitis, like a runny nose or congestion. Migraine headaches also cause pain along the trigeminal nerve, which interacts with the sinus passages. People experiencing migraine may think this pain is related to the sinuses.
If you dont have any of the symptoms that come specifically with a sinus headache, you may be experiencing a migraine. Migraine is treated differently from sinus headache. Symptoms specific to migraine include:
- sensitivity to light and sound
If youre experiencing symptoms specific to migraine, youre likely experiencing a migraine attack and not a sinus headache.
Sinusitis directly causes sinus headaches, so they share the same causes and triggers. These include:
- Viral infection. This is the most common cause of sinusitis and sinus headache. About
Solutions For Dry Air
Dry air can irritate your sinuses, so ensuring it isn’t too dry can be helpful. You can use a humidifier or vaporizer to increase the humidity in your home. Other ways to benefit from using water include soaking a towel in warm water and holding it over your face for a few minutes. You can also use a saline solution nasal spray for the same purpose.
How To Relieve Sinus Pain & Pressure: 13 Tips From An Ent Doctor
Sinus pain and pressure can make you feel like your head is about to explode. Experiencing this pressure on a regular basis can be frustrating and even limit your daily lifestyle. Most causes of sinus pain, such as sinusitis, will resolve themselves within seven to ten days, but those with symptoms for any longer should consider getting help from an Ear, Nose and Throat expert.
Rest assured, there are a variety of prescription and at-home remedies that can help relieve your sinus pain and pressure. Dr. Michael Menachof, a leading ENT specialist, has created a list of 13 ways to help alleviate your painful sinuses and head pressure.
Read Also: Best Medicine To Take For Sinus Headache
What Is The Long
Sinus infections are primarily caused by allergies. The most common allergens are pollen, dust mites and pet dander. Those with repeated sinus infections may have chronic sinusitis, which means long-term solutions may be a better option.
Immunotherapy can help. These allergy shots enable your body to decrease sensitivity to common allergens. The Raleigh sinus doctors at Raleigh Medical Group specialize in helping patients with chronic allergy and sinus problems. While immunotherapy is effective, the treatment can take as long as one year to achieve noticeable results and maintenance treatment will likely be needed.
To find out if youre a candidate for immunotherapy, schedule an appointment with one of our internal medicine doctors. We welcome the opportunity to serve you.
Sinus Pain And Pressure Causes
There are different types of sinuses, each of which can cause different sinus pain symptoms. The images below show what causes sinus pressure in different areas of your face, neck and head and can be helpful to pinpoint relief or discuss with your doctor.
Frontal
Maxillary sinuses causes pain in the cheeks, upper jaw or teeth.
Sphenoid
Sphenoid sinuses causes pain behind the eyes, on the top of the scalp or along the back of the head.
You May Like: Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain Coated Tablets
Don’t Miss: Advil Cold And Sinus Symptoms
Irrigate To Relieve Sinus Pressure
“Salt water irrigation is the best way to cleanse the nose and sinuses this can help prevent or relieve sinus pain. You can use an over-the-counter saline nasal spray, but I recommend using a sinus rinse bottle, neti pot, or bulb syringe irrigation kit that you can get at the drugstore,” advises Das.
Try this commonly-used, easy-to-make nasal irrigation solution with your own sinus irrigation kit: Fill a clean 8-ounce glass with distilled or sterilized lukewarm water. Do not use tap water unless it has been boiled for at least 1 minute . Add 1/2 teaspoon of non-iodized salt and a pinch of baking soda. And be sure to clean all equipment and make a fresh batch of solution each time you use your kit.
Treat Sinus Pain With Humidity
“Dry, thick mucus in your nose and sinus passages can form crusts that block sinus drainage and trap viruses and other particles. Increasing humidity and getting more fluid into your body can help your mucus thin out and get moving again,” says Dr. Das. Some natural ways to get your sinuses draining and relieve sinus pressure include drinking plenty of fluids using a humidifier avoiding cold, dry air taking plenty of steamy showers and drinking a cup of hot tea or soup.
Read Also: How To Relieve Sinus Pressure In My Face
How Is A Cholesteatoma Treated
Generally speaking, the only way to treat a cholesteatoma is to have it surgically removed. The cyst must be removed to prevent the complications that can occur if it grows larger. Cholesteatomas dont go away naturally. They usually continue to grow and cause additional problems.
Once a cholesteatoma has been diagnosed, a regimen of antibiotics, ear drops, and careful cleaning of the ear will most likely be prescribed to treat the infected cyst, reduce inflammation, and drain the ear. Your medical professional will then be able to better analyze the growth traits of the cyst and make a plan for surgical removal.
In most cases, the surgery is an outpatient procedure. This means that you dont have to stay in the hospital after the procedure. A hospital stay is only necessary if the cyst is very large or if you have a serious infection. The surgery is done under general anesthesia. After the initial surgery to remove the cyst, follow-up surgery to reconstruct any damaged portions of the inner ear and make sure that the cyst has been completely removed is often necessary.
Once the cholesteatoma is removed, youll need to attend follow-up appointments to evaluate results and ensure the cyst hasnt come back. If the cyst broke any bones in your ear, youll need a second surgery to repair them.
After surgery, some people experience temporary dizziness or taste abnormalities. These side effects almost always resolve themselves within a few days.
When Should I See An Ent For Sinus Pain And Pressure
A good rule of thumb is to talk to your doctor if sinus pain and pressure is affecting your daily life. Other things to look out for include:
- It makes it difficult to sleep
- Youve had a stuffy or runny nose for over a week
- Your sinus headaches more frequently
- Over-the-counter treatments dont work
- You injured your nose
Read Also: What To Do If I Have A Sinus Infection
Sinus Headache Home Remedies
- Lessening the congestion present in the sinuses may aid. Try lessening the congestion using a humidifier or irrigating the sinuses using a saline solution to clean the region.
- Breath in steam when you feel your nose is congested and your head is aching.
- Apply a warm, damp washcloth to the region of the sinuses to promote drain of the congestion and release pressure.
- Gently press the sinus pressure points to get relief.
- Blow your nose often to clear the congestion.
Read Also: How To Get Better From Sinus Infection
Upper Cervical Misalignments And Your Ears
The upper cervical spine consists of the C1 and C2 vertebrae located at the base of the skull, almost directly between the ears. These bones both balance the head and provide it with more than half of its range of motion. Therefore, if even the slightest of misalignments occur, the body gets to work correcting the problem. This usually means changes in the surrounding soft tissue that keep the head on straight. Unfortunately, these changes can affect other surrounding soft tissue.
For example, it may affect the tiny tubes that are supposed to be draining fluid away from the ears. As a result, you may become more prone to pressure buildup. That pressure, in turn, causes frequent episodes of vertigo or other problems such as tinnitus , hearing loss, or just the feeling that your ear is stopped up. How can you correct the underlying problem and get your ears to release pressure properly again? We want to introduce you to upper cervical chiropractic care.
Read Also: Can A Sinus Infection Cause Night Sweats
Don’t Miss: Nasal Decongestant Spray For Sinus Infection
Sinus Headache Medicine In A Pinch
The best sinus headache medicine is of course plenty of fluids and a bit of TLC. There are many treatments that will help ease your pain naturally however, if you need some instant relief, you should consider over-the-counter medication.
That being said, if you are taking these medications regularly for ten days in a row, you should consult your physician to find a more permanent solution.
When To See A Doctor For Sinus Pain
If your sinus symptoms are not getting better with at-home treatments, and if your sinus symptoms last longer than seven to 10 days, you should see a doctor for treatment. Allina Health has many convenient care options for care, from online visits to walk-in care, to help you get better fast.
If you have frequent or reoccurring sinus infections, you may want to see an ear, nose and throat for your treatment options.
Read Also: Can Sore Throat Cause Sinus Infection
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.
Apply A Warm Compress
Applying a warm towel over your forehead and nose can help to reduce swelling and inflammation in your sinus passages. Its also a simple home remedy that you can use before you go to bed.
Heat from the warm towel helps to open up your nasal passages to reduce swelling and hence open up your nasal passageway. This will also help to loosen mucus secretion and aid in mucus flow.
Here are some simple steps on how you can apply a warm compress to provide sinus headache relief:
- Fill up a bowl with water thats warmer than body temperature. Ensure that its not scalding
- Soak the towel in the water and wring out excess water
- Fold the towel into a square and apply it over your forehead and nose
- Hold the towel in position and place it in contact with your skin for up to 20 minutes each time
Alternatively, you can make a warm compress through the following method:
- Soak two towels in water and squeeze out excess water
- Put one towel in a ziplock bag and leave the bag open
- Microwave the bag for 2 minutes
- Remove the bag from the microwave and seal it. Be careful as the bag will be hot to touch
- Wrap the other towel around the bag.
- Apply the heating pad to your forehead for about 20 minutes
Also Check: Can A Sinus Infection Cause Your Teeth To Hurt
Acupressure And Acupuncture For Sinuses
Acupuncture is used to treat chronic sinus pressure and other symptoms.
Research from 2006 found that about 99 percent of acupuncturists in the United States treat sinus problems. Similarly, the Cleveland Clinic recommends using acupressure to relieve sinus pressure due to allergies.
While more research is needed on using acupressure to treat sinus symptoms, this practice may help improve blood flow, relax muscles, and help mucus drain from the sinuses.
You can do acupressure for sinus symptoms on yourself. It only takes a few minutes.
You can press on the acupressure points or gently rub or rotate your fingers in a circular motion over the area.
You can also get professional acupressure treatment from a certified acupuncturist. Some massage therapists may also use acupressure points.
Here are the main acupressure points for sinus relief and how to find them:
Natural Sinus Headache Remedies
Some people prefer to go the natural route when treating a sinus headache. Most herbal solutions for nasal pain and congestion work by helping to prevent an infection . So the goal should be five lifestyle changes that can help keep an infection from developing and prevent what feels like your next sinus headache.
Recommended Reading: The Best Sinus Allergy Medicine
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.
Where Can I Find The Best Sinus Headache Treatment In Houston
Houston ear, nose, and throat specialist and surgeon Dr. Cecil Yeung has more than 20 years of experience in diagnosing and treating chronic sinusitis, which causes sinus headaches. At Houston Sinus Surgery at the Yeung Institute, he has pioneered endoscopic sinus surgery in the area, performing more than 4,000 sinus surgeries with a re-do rate thats far less than average. Hes a board-certified physician who is known as a leader in his field as well as for his professionalism and precision.
Dr. Yeung will correctly diagnose the cause of your sinus headaches and sinusitis and recommend the most minimally invasive treatment possible that will yield the results you want.
To get relief from the pain and other symptoms of sinus headaches, contact Houston Sinus Surgery at the Yeung Institute today!
You Might Also Enjoy…
Recommended Reading: Fastest Way To Get Rid Of Sinus Pressure
Sinus Headache Relief: 10 Simple Ways To Soothe Your Sinus Headache
Many of us suffer from sinus problems now and then. For some, sinusitis can be a common occurrence. Those who suffer from sinus issues will know how uncomfortable it can get, having to bear with symptoms such as sinus headache and blocked ears. In this article, we look at some causes and symptoms of sinus headache, and cover 10 home remedies that might provide sinus headache relief.
What To Do When Home Remedies Arent Working
When you have a sinus headache, trying some treatments at home should be your first step. However, if youve tried a few things and nothing is helping, seeing a doctor can help you to get the right treatment and perhaps identify an underlying cause. You should also see a doctor if you have a fever, if there is pain or swelling of your face or eyes, redness around your eyes, cheeks, a severe headache, stiff neck or confusion.
After other treatments have been exhausted and your sinus problems are recurring, surgery might be suggested as an option for sinus headaches and blocked sinuses. This is something that you might discuss with your ENT to determine whether its the right choice for you and how it can help, as well as some of the risks that surgery can have. Before discussing surgery, its important to try other remedies to find out if any of them work.
If sinus headaches are a regular problem for you, Mountain Ear, Nose & Throat Associates can help. Contact us today at Sylva 828-586-7474, Franklin 828-524-5599, Murphy 828-835-1014 or New Asheville 828-458-8100 to schedule an appointment or learn more.
Dont Miss: Sinus Infection And Dry Eyes
Read Also: What Medicine Is Prescribed For A Sinus Infection