What Causes Sinus Pressure And Headaches
Bacteria or viral infectionSinus pressure and headaches are often caused by inflammation from a bacterial or viral infection. The lining of your sinuses begin to swell, which traps mucus and pus in your sinus cavities causing pressure in the face, over the cheeks or forehead, or between or behind the eyes.
Weather change
For people with sinus problems or allergies, a shift in weatherespecially from summer to fallcan cause sinus headaches. Sinus pressure from weather is more prevalent in Houston and other coastal cities where high pressure and low pressure systems meet.
Stress
Stress-induced sinus pressure can also occur because stress weakens your bodys immune system, making you more vulnerable to the effects of allergens, as well as germs, bacteria, viruses, infections.
Injury or genetics
A deviated septum or narrow sinuses dont cause sinus pressure but can make it easier to get congested and more likely to have chronic sinus infections.
How Can I Try Acupuncture
If youve decided to give acupuncture a try, its essential to choose a qualified acupuncturist. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine offers licensing programs and examinations, but specific licensing requirements vary by state.
When looking for an acupuncturist, keep in mind that a licensed acupuncturist is not the same as a certified acupuncturist. Doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals may have certification in acupuncture and a few hundred hours of training, but they may have less experience working with patients.
Licensed acupuncturists, on the other hand, typically have a few thousand hours of training and must treat a certain number of people before being licensed.
You can also ask your primary care physician for a referral or search the NCCAOM acupuncturist registry. Once youve found a provider, you can call your state licensing board to make sure theyre licensed to practice in your state.
Things you might ask before making an appointment include:
- how long the acupuncturist has been working with clients
- whether theyve treated sinus issues with acupuncture before
- how long treatment will take
- whether they accept insurance or offer a sliding-scale payment system
If youre worried about pain or discomfort, let them know. They may be able to address your concerns and help you feel more comfortable before your first session.
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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Will Surgery Cure Sinus Infections And Inflammation
If the sinus headache persists, and repeated courses of treatment fail to relieve the sinusitis, surgery may be an option. Otorhinolaryngologists may be able to widen the openings that allow the sinuses to drain and decrease the risk of recurrent inflammation that may obstruct the sinuses from draining.
Getting Rid Of A Sinus Infection Without Antibiotics
How can I get rid of a sinus infection without antibiotics? Here are a few non-antibiotic treatment options you might consider:
If you find that these at-home sinus infections dont work, then it might be time to talk to a doctor for medical treatment.
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What Are Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are also sometimes commonly mistaken for sinus headaches.
Tension headaches are the most commonly experienced type of headache. As the stresses of life and habitually-caused strain to your body pile up, tension headaches may make episodic appearances, occurring once to twice a month on average.
They can also be chronic, with some people having episodes that last for over 15 days a month for at least 3 months. Women are twice as likely as men to have tension headaches.
Unlike migraines, tension headaches are rarely severe and are not throbbing. They are not made worse by routine physical activity and not associated with light and sound sensitivity and nausea and vomiting. Some patients have complained of tension headaches feeling like a tight band wrapped around their forehead.
In general, tension headaches are triggered by stressors, activities and foods. Food factors such as alcohol and caffeine consumption, and skipping meals can all cause tension headaches.
Tension headaches can also be triggered by factors from work and life such as poor posture, decreased water intake and staring at a computer screen for a long time. Its safe to say that a lot of things trigger tension headaches, but mostly, they have the resounding causes of unhealthy habits, stressors and external conditions.
Common symptoms of a tension headache include
Make A Treatment Plan
Developing a good relationship with the doctor who is helping you manage your migraine is important. Review your symptoms and triggers with your doctor. Together, you can create a treatment plan that will not only help you manage the pain when a migraine happens, but keep them from developing in the first place.
A good treatment plan should include:
- identifying the type of migraine you have
- identifying triggers
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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.
Pressure Affecting Sinuses In The Cheeks Around The Nose In The Front Of The Forehead Or Between The Eyes Sometimes Contributes To Headaches
Oftentimes, people assume they have a sinus headache when its actually a tension or migraine headache. However, there are signs and symptoms commonly associated with sinus headaches that can help you get a better idea of what type of headaches you may be experiencing. An ear, nose, and throat doctor can provide further assistance with diagnosis and treatment.
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Try These Home Remedies For Allergy Headaches
Headache is one of the most common ailments and most of us have dealt with a headache at some point. Some headaches are caused by allergies and it becomes difficult to identify the cause of the allergy. Although headaches are not life threatening, it can be annoying and you will not be able to enjoy your day and do you work. Allergy headache can be categorized in to migraines and sinus headache. Sinus headache is associated with pain around the sinus regions causing pain on your face. Migraine is associated with throbbing, one-sided pain and it is sometimes accompanied by nausea. Migraine headache may aggravate in the sunlight. These types of headaches are usually triggered by stress, some food items, sinus or nasal congestion or smoke. Here are some home remedies to treat allergy headache..Also Read 8 Benefits Of Vitamin C Serum For Face And How to Use Complete Guide Watch Video
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.
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Relief For Sinus Pain
For effective relief, choose your sinus headache relief based on what you need. You can find combination packs of both day time and night time relief to help you get better rest and feel good throughout the day. If you don’t have any trouble sleeping, choose a day time sinus relief product. There are formulas for severe colds and coughs as well as different flavors of liquid medicines to choose from.
Seeking Medical Help For Sinus Problems
There are two instances where a sinus sufferer needs to see a sinus doctor immediately. The first is if the above treatments do not work. Sufferers that experience fever, pain, swelling, skin redness, a stiff neck, severe headaches and confusion also need immediate medical care. During the appointment, the doctor will first check if the patient really has a sinus problem or if they have been misdiagnosed. The doctor can also advise you on what to do to prevent the reoccurrence of a sinus headache.
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Is There Really A Sinus Migraine
Technically, the answer is no. There are migraines and there are sinus headaches. They are not the same, but some people have coined the phrase sinus migraine to make the distinction that their migraines seem to have a sinus component. They may be familiar enough with migraines that they know the typical symptoms, so they rule it out because their headaches dont fit that mold. The truth is, there are many different types of migraines and headaches and they often have very similar, if not identical, symptoms.
Dr. Ailani explains, Migraine pain can be located in the temples or back of the head, but often is in or around the eye and can, on occasion, be located under the eye, around the nose, and into the jaw. The reason for this is that the nerve that causes facial sensation and sinus sensation and the one that also causes facial and sinus pain, are one and the same, the trigeminal nerve.
She continues, When this nerve is turned on, you can experience pain- which can be all different types such as pulsating, throbbing, pressure, searing, jabbing, tingling, and burning, anywhere in your head and face. This nerve also connects to other nerves at the back of the neck and in the sinuses. When one nerve decides to be turned on, other connected nerves can follow- where there is a party, all like to join in!
Drink Plenty Of Water
Staying hydrated makes it a lot easier for your body to fight off infections. Water also helps clear out your sinuses. That is why it is important for you to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Additionally, water will help keep your throat moisturized and make it easier for you to cough up mucus.
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How Does It Work
In traditional Chinese medicine , your health depends on the flow of qi in your body. This energy travels along invisible pathways, known as meridians. These are found throughout your body.
Qi is believed to help keep your body in balance and promote its natural ability to heal itself. A blocked or disrupted flow of qi can negatively impact physical and emotional well-being.
During an acupuncture session, very thin needles are inserted into your skin to stimulate certain points, based on the symptoms youre addressing. This stimulation, according to TCM, helps to clear blockages along your meridians, restoring the flow of qi through your body.
People use acupuncture to help with a range of sinus issues, including headaches, pressure, pain, and nasal congestion.
What To Do About Recurring Sinus Headaches
If your headache is due to allergies, then deal with your allergies as aforementioned. If there is an anatomical issue, you may benefit from medical intervention.
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It is important to note that theres a lot of overlap between sinus headaches and migraines and thus a lot of misdiagnosed sinus headaches may actually be migraines, Dr. Epstein states. Its best to speak to your doctor if symptoms are recurring, for clarification of diagnosis and proper management.
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Inhale Menthol And Camphor
Another inhaled odor that can help open up sinus passages is menthol, which is an ingredient in popular ointments that are used specifically to treat a stuffy nose. These ointments also contain eucalyptus oil and camphor, which combine with menthol to create a powerful scent that immediately relieves sinus pressure. This ointment can be rubbed on your chest and under your nose to deliver its soothing benefits. Unlike eucalyptus oil, this ointment should not be placed in the mouth.
Which Points Target The Sinuses
There are hundreds of acupuncture points across your body. If you try acupuncture, the acupuncturist will take a detailed history of your symptoms before deciding what acupuncture points to use.
Keep in mind that certain points are linked to multiple uses, and not all practitioners use the same points.
Some common acupuncture points used to treat sinus issues or allergic rhinitis include:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health .
But if acupuncture isnt performed correctly or needles arent sterile, you may be at risk for serious side effects. Licensed acupuncturists in the United States must use disposable needles, so receiving acupuncture from a licensed professional should minimize your risk of complications.
Some people do experience mild side effects after an acupuncture, session, including:
- pain or tenderness around the involved areas
Its also best to avoid acupuncture if you:
- are pregnant, as some points can induce labor
- have a pacemaker, which could be affected by the mild electric pulse thats sometimes used with acupuncture needles
- take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder
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Here’s How To Treat Each One More Effectively
There are numerous medications for migraine treatment. Generally, the most recent effective migraine abortive medication on the market is the family of triptans. These 3 articles have all the details:
If you take this at first sign of an attack, you can successfully abort a migraine. If you cant take one of the triptan family, I highly recommend going through the other medications, one by one, with your physician until you find something that works.
They are strong medications and need to be prescribed by your doctor. You will need pain relief, even if you dont want to take it all the time. It is good to have it on hand should you need it for a really bad episode.
A sinus headache, on the other hand, would lead to the prescribing of medications such as allergy antihistamines, antibiotics, and sinus medications.
Keeping a journal of your symptoms and triggers can help with the diagnosis.
You need to know if it’s a sinus migraine to treat it effectively.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center the best treatment approach for sinus headaches is to treat the underlying inflammation. Antibiotics or corticosteroids may be the best way to go. They also suggest these lifestyle changes, and you know I love healthy lifestyle choices:
Use a saline nasal spray or try irrigating your nasal passages with salt water
Breathe in steam two to four times per day
I like using Olive Leaf for infections.