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Sphenoid Sinus Infection Neck Pain

Symptoms Of Sphenoid Sinusitis

Sinus Trouble, Headache and Neck Pain Relief with Dr. Jordon Folkers

Symptoms of sphenoid sinus disease are also the same with other sinusitis. The patient may experience :

  • cold
  • neck pain in some cases
  • weakened sense of smell

A person can only determine if the infection has reached the sphenoid when he feels the pain on top of your head or at the back of the neck. Sometimes a person may feel pain on the right or on the left side of the face. This part of the sinus cannot be infected easily.

The basic explanation for this is its location. It would be hard for bacteria or viruses to reach it because the location is not that easy to penetrate.

It is not easy to diagnose sphenoid sinusitis. The doctor needs to get a sample of blood or sweat to know if there are traces of bacteria and fungus in the sinus. Another way to know the condition of the sphenoid is by CT Scan.

Sphenoid sinusitis should not be taken for granted because progressive growth of the infection can cause neurological damage. Of all the sinuses, the sphenoid is one of the most sensitive because of the connection between the sinus and the optic nerve.

Pro Tip

The quickest way to get relief from sinus pain is to use nasal irrigation. There are effective devices for this purpose. Read about Navage or SinuPulse.

Causes Of Sphenoid Sinusitis

The main cause of sphenoid sinusitis is a bacterial infection. The infection is centered in the sphenoid sinus. Aside from bacteria, fungus, allergens, and viruses can contribute to sphenoidal sinus.

The bacteria that is most often responsible for inflammation and sphenoid sinus infection is Streptococcus pneumonia. The viral infection Haemophilus influenza can also spurn sphenoidal sinus pain. These microbes cause excessive mucus in the sinus and block the nasal cavity.

When these types of infections become too active, they can be hard to treat. There are some people who suffer from chronic cases of sphenoid sinusitis. Some doctors refer to this as sphenoidal sinus disease.

Sphenoid Sinusitis: Causes Symptoms Treatment And Prevention

Written byBel Marra HealthPublished onNovember 2, 2017

Sphenoid sinusitis is an inflammation-related condition that can create uncomfortable symptoms and headache pain. Here, we explore what causes sphenoid sinusitis and how to deal with it.

Our sinus is a cavity filled with air on both sides of our nasal structure. The cavities filter the air we inhale with the assistance of the lining of mucus our nasal cavity contains. There are actually four sinuses around the nasal cavity and at the back of the head right behind our eye is the sphenoid sinus.

Having sphenoid sinusitis means that you have inflammation in sphenoid sinuses.

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Neck Pain And Sinus Pressure

The two main symptoms of sinusitis associated with neck pain are sinus pain/pressure and headaches. These symptoms can present themselves down into your neck since the muscles of your face and neck are all connected.

While the two arent always connected, theres a good chance that youll get a sore neck whenever you deal with sinus pressure, whether from sinusitis, allergies, or the common cold.

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What is Sphenoid Sinusitis

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In addition to these practices, rinsing your sinuses on a daily basis with a nasal nebulizer can help reduce your exposure to potentially harmful viruses, bacteria, and allergens that are at the root cause of sphenoid sinusitis. Using a nasal safe saline solution allows you to cleanse and eliminate trapped particles and irritants inside your sinuses. While a moisturizing solution helps revitalize your sinuses and provide additional comfort.

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Sinus Infection Symptoms Vs Covid

Does COVID-19 feel like a sinus infection? Sinus infections and COVID-19 share some similar symptoms, which can lead to confusion for those who are trying to determine the root cause of their illness. There are some key differences between the two conditions. For example, the onset of post nasal drip and sinus pain are commonly associated with a sinus infection but not COVID-19.

Symptoms Of Sphenoid Sinus Disease Are Also The Same With Other Sinusitis The Patient May Experience :

  • cold
  • neck pain in some cases
  • weakened sense of smell

A person can only determine if the infection has reached the sphenoid when he feels the pain on top of your head or at the back of the neck. Sometimes a person may feel pain on the right or on the left side of the face. This part of the sinus cannot be infected easily.

Sphenoid sinusitis should not be taken for granted because progressive growth of the infection can cause neurological damage. Of all the sinuses, the sphenoid is one of the most sensitive because of the connection between the sinus and the optic nerve.

Looking at me and my reports, he advised me to take again the conservative treatments. Surgeries in India in CF cases are not too successful and he didnt want to take risk. He reminded me of my own healing capacity and sitting there somehow made me think of visiting this spiritual place in Rajasthan called Ajmer shrief. I wanted to go and sit there and pray to almighty for easing the pain, for giving me courage to face it again. Any way, I left and reached back to home, put back a smile again though I was worried but I didnt want my ONLY HUSBAND to worry.

Recommended Reading: Sore Throat And Sinus Remedies

Other Symptoms Of A Sinus Infection

The symptoms of a sinus infection often resemble those of a bad cold. These can include a runny nose, headache, facial pain, and nasal congestion. In addition to typical cold symptoms, a sinus infection may cause yellow- or green-tinged mucus. You may also experience post-nasal drip and a sore throat, along with puffiness and soreness around the face and sinuses. You may also have a dry, unproductive cough and a fever. Fatigue and bad breath are also symptoms of sinus infections.

Different sinuses also present different types of pain if infected. For example, infection of the sinuses around your eyes may result in red, puffy eyes that look like an allergic flare-up, while infection of the sinuses in your cheeks may cause excessive bad breath and pain in your teeth.

How Do You Unclog A Sphenoid Sinus

Houston Chiropractor Dr Gregory Johnson Treats Sinuses, Headache & Neck Pain Naturally

3. Sphenoid/ethmoid sinus massage

  • Place your index fingers on the bridge of your nose.
  • Find the area between your nasal bone and the corner of the eyes.
  • Hold a firm pressure in that spot with your fingers for about 15 seconds.
  • Then, using your index fingers, stroke downward along the side of the bridge of your nose.
  • Read Also: How To Get Rid Of Sinus Pressure Migraine

    What Else Can Help You:

    • Nebulization
    • Steam with plain water for 5 minutes twice a day
    • Covering your head during nights
    • Massaging your chest and upper back along with your neck
    • Sleep well
    • Dont eat fruits, vegies after sunset
    • Drink milk with turmeric powder
    • Put in ear plugs while sleeping in
    • Gargles twice a day
    • And yes a lot of breathing exercises

    I almost have been sick every day of my life and I almost have given up every day of my life but then there are people outside in the world who suffer much more than I do and I consider this a blessing for me.

    Prevention is always better than cure. A person has to eat healthy foods. He has to abstain from eating too much fried and starchy foods. There are foods that can cause and can worsen sinus infections like dairy products. If we just take the needed amount and get rid of the excess, it will be easy for us to avoid illnesses such as this.

    But then once you are off the IVs you can put a nice dress on and go for a concert may be. My brother took me out for the concert and made sure I sit at a warm place. Dont forget to carry your meds along. Have Happy time.

    Love

    What Distinguishes Migraine From A Sinus

    The initial presentation of sinus infection is so similar to migraine that it is often mistakenly diagnosed and treated like just another headache. However, despite overlapping symptoms, differences between the two entities can be distinguished through a careful evaluation.

    Migraine is a familiar event, with or without warning symptoms . It may be gradual or abrupt in onset, moderate or severe in intensity, is often accompanied by a sensitivity to light and sound, and by nausea and vomiting. The pain may be one-sided or diffuse, limited to the front, top, or back of the head, and may often reach into the neck. It may hurt in the face area as well. Migraine may be provoked by other illnesses that affect the head or neck, such as a dental problem or respiratory or sinus infection. Migraine often subsides after several hours with the assistance of an effective rescue medication . For most, migraine is a distinct and familiar event with a predictable duration and resolution.

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    In This Video Dmx Displays Prolotherapy Before And After Treatments

    • In this video, we are using a Digital Motion X-Ray to illustrate a complete resolution of a pinched nerve in the neck and accompanying symptoms of cervical radiculopathy.
    • A before digital motion x-ray at 0:11
    • At 0:18 the DMX reveals completely closed neural foramina and a partially closed neural foramina
    • At 0:34 DXM three months later after this patient had received two Prolotherapy treatments
    • At 0:46 the previously completely closed neural foramina are now opening more, releasing pressure on the nerve
    • At 1:00 another DMX two months later and after this patient had received four Prolotherapy treatments
    • At 1:14 the previously completely closed neural foramina are now opening normally during motion

    Symptoms Of Sinus Infection Neck Pain:

    Sphenoid Sinusitis: One of The Most Dangerous Sinus Infection
    • Painful pressure is the main symptom. The pain depends on the location of the inflamed pockets. The pain is in the front when the frontal sinuses, the upper jaw, the upper jaw, the teeth , the back of the eyes or the top of the head . Increasingly sinus pain usually when bending forward.
    • The symptoms of nasal congestion are also common, and secretions appear in dark colors from the nose. When the mucus droplets drop from behind the nose to the pharynx, you will feel a foul taste, and you may have a foul odor in your mouth or cough. You may briefly lose your sense of smelling or taste, and finally, you may feel fever, aches, and fatigue.

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    Other Sinus Conditions And Neck Pain

    Anecdotally, some people with seasonal allergies also report having neck pain. This could be due to tight or tense muscles that result when you sneeze or cough.

    Another possible explanation is that the congestion in your sphenoid sinuses causes pressure in the back of your head and neck.

    The common cold or flu are other illnesses that may occur with neck pain.

    Your Ans Dysfunction And Your Neck Alignment

    Sinus infection and neck pain are usual symptoms you find in patients who have inflamed sphenoid sinuses. And as some evidence suggest, your sinus infection may be the root cause of your neck pain. However, some studies claim that neck pains during a sinus infection flareup might indicate that you have an ANS problem. Quite possibly, having an achy neck might be your bodys way of telling you that you have a cervical misalignment.

    Many patients who previously had neck trauma due to contact sports or a car accident often report worse sinus infection symptoms. Thats because the misaligned neck bones impinge on nerves that regulate your respiratory system. Even if a misalignment only measures a few millimeters, the pressure on the affected nerves can cause severe repercussions on your nervous system.

    Thats why sometimes taking medications like nasal congestions provides little to no improvements to some people with sinus infections. Some people report lingering symptoms even after taking medicines to combat the bacterial or viral pathogen that caused the inflammation.

    Also Check: Why Am I Getting Sinus Infections All The Time

    The Curvatures Of The Neck

    What are we seeing in this image?

    In our practice, we see problems of cervical spine instability caused by damaged or weakened cervical spine ligaments. With ligament weakness or laxity, the cervical vertebrae move out of place and progress into problems of chronic pain and neurological symptoms by distorting the natural curve of the spine. This illustration demonstrates the progression from Lordotic to Military to Kyphotic to S shape curve.

    What Is A Sinus Headache

    Diagnosing sinus headaches

    “If you have neck pain and a headache, you probably don’t have a sinus headache,” says Zubair Ahmed, MD, a neurologist and headache specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Neuro-Restoration in Cleveland. “Neck pain is much more common with migraine or tension headaches.”

    “Studies show that most people who complain of sinus headaches really have migraine headaches,” he says. “Sinus pain gets confused with migraine because migraine headaches cause nasal congestion and facial pain.”

    According to the American Migraine Foundation, a very famous study of 30,000 people diagnosed with migraine, called the American Migraine Study II, found that when migraine was misdiagnosed, the most common diagnosis was sinus headache. Yet another study evaluated almost 3,000 people with at least six episodes of what they thought were sinus headaches. In close to 90 percent of these people, the real diagnosis turned out to be migraine.

    Sinus infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that infect one or more of the sinuses in your head, explains the American Academy of OtolaryngologyHead and Neck Surgery. Your sinuses connect to your nose through drainage tubes. When a sinus gets infected, it can fill up with pus and mucus. A sinus infection typically lasts for 10 days or more. You may have headache pain, but you will also have some of these common symptoms:

    • Discolored and thick nasal mucous
    • Pain around your eyes or over your teeth

    Recommended Reading: Why Do Sinus Infections Happen

    How To Prevent Sphenoid Sinusitis

    To help prevent the development of an isolated sphenoid sinus infection, its important to reduce exposure to harmful bacteria, viruses, allergens and other triggers that may irritate and inflame the sinus cavities. Here are some measures to help maintain a healthy, well-functioning nose:

    • Avoid smoke, fumes, and other airborne irritants
    • Practice daily nasal hygiene
    • Wear a mask when necessary
    • Report sinus issues o a doctor after 3 to 5 days with no improvement

    Rhinosinusitis / Sinusitis Is This A Drainage Problem Caused By Herniated Discs

    Above I suggested the connection between cervical spinal instability and a patients Eustachian tube dysfunction and sinusitis. Lets look at the sinusitis part of his problem and also connect that to cervical spine instability.

    First, lets look at a case study in the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy. It looks at possible sinus headaches and the development of rhinosinusitis and a connection to neck pain.

    Here are the summary learning points:

    • Headaches can be associated with rhinosinusitis and may present a diagnostic challenge because of symptomatic overlap with other recurring headaches.
    • Neck pain has received extensive attention in migraine, tension-type, and cervicogenic headaches but not as a comorbid feature of headache in those with rhinosinusitis.
    • This study investigated the occurrence of neck pain and cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction in individuals with self-reported sinus headaches.
    • Patients in this study were asked to assess their Cervical range of motion , had a cervical segmental examination, muscle endurance, and pressure-pain threshold tests.
    • Findings or tests and examinations: Neck pain and cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction are common among persons with sinus headaches and may be a comorbid feature or contributing factor to headaches attributed to rhinosinusitis. Further research is needed to understand these associations.

    Recommended Reading: If Sinus Infection Is Left Untreated

    Does Neck Pain Have A Connection With Sinus Infection

    Sinus infections can be quite a nightmare to deal with. Anyone familiar with this kind of condition knows that it often causes discomfort or sometimes dangerous complications. For example, some patients report having both sinus infection and neck pain. But is there a connection after all? More importantly, if theres a strong link between them, how can you relieve both symptoms? Is there a way to alleviate your symptoms naturally?

    How Do You Relieve Sinus Pressure In Your Neck

    Chronic Sphenoid Sinusitis Revisited: Comparison of ...

    A few ways to relieve sinus pressure in your neck include:

    • Antihistamine medications if your sinus pressure is related to allergies
    • Antibiotics in the case of a sinus infection
    • Warm compress on your sinuses
    • Nasal spray or sinus rinse

    As always, its important to consult your GP before taking any medication. But you should find some relief with ibuprofen or paracetamol.

    Using a warm compress on your face or behind your neck can also loosen up the pressure you might be feeling. Saline nasal sprays and rinses such as a neti pot are also often useful. You should also rest and drink plenty of water when recovering from a sinus infection.

    From there, you should try to find the underlying cause of your sinus pain or your neck pain as its not always clear which issue is causing the other.

    When it comes to sinus pain, avoid the common cold by ensuring your hands are washed and staying away from those who are showing symptoms of a cold. If you have allergies, take an antihistamine regularly to prevent sinus pain.

    You might also consider working with a physiotherapist for any neck pain you may be experiencing as this could be due to poor posture, scoliosis, past injuries, or poor exercise form. A physio can assist you with strengthening and mobilising your neck and its surrounding muscles to relieve tension and offer some respite.

    Also Check: Sinus Pressure Points To Relieve Congestion

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