What To Do For Sinus Pressure And Pain At Home
Here are the top 10 at-hometreatments to help ease your sinus pain and inflammation to get rid of your sinus infection faster.
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.
How To Treat Sinus Pain
If you experience sinus pain, there are over-the-counter medications, home remedies, and lifestyle strategies that may be helpful.
If your symptoms last more than a week or keep recurring, see a healthcare provider. It could be a bacterial sinus infection, also called sinusitis, that requires a course of antibiotics or it might be migraines or another condition that requires medical intervention.
Fungal sinus infections can also occur and require surgery and/or antifungal medications.
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What About Mouth Breathing
Mouth breathing delivers no nitric oxide. It also provides none of the air warming and humidifying properties of nasal breathing. In humans, its really just a survival mechanism, to be used when the nasal breathing is impossible.
Mouth breathing during sleep will not only give you blocked and painful sinuses, it is the root cause of snoring, which can progress to sleep apnea, a condition linked to heart failure, high blood pressure and Alzheimers disease.
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
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Avoid Sinus Pain Triggers
“One of the most important things to avoid is over-the-counter nasal decongestant sprays. They may give some fast relief, but after a few days they make sinus pressure and nasal congestion much worse,” warns Das. Some other things you can do to prevent sinus pain include avoiding alcohol, which can aggravate sinus pain and congestion cleaning your humidifier to avoid fungal allergies washing your bedding in hot water to decrease allergy exposure and avoiding swimming, diving, or flying when you have sinusitis, a common cold, or nasal allergy.
How Long Does A Runny Nose Last With A Cold
A runny nose, also known as nasal drainage, is an unpleasant side effect of most colds. A runny nose is usually at its peak about 2 to 3 days after your symptoms start, but may last up to a week.
A runny nose usually starts out with clear, watery mucus. As your cold progresses, it often becomes thicker with more of a yellow or green tinge. The color change is good news. It means your immune system has kicked in and your white blood cells are fighting off the cold virus.
However, if your nasal discharge is a yellow or green color and lasts longer than 10 days, it could be a sign that a bacterial infection is causing your runny nose symptoms, and not a viral infection.
You may be able to ease your runny nose by taking an OTC antihistamine, like Benadryl, Zyrtec, or Claritin. These medications may help dry up a runny nose and also reduce sneezing.
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Pressure In Head And Eyes
Head pressure accompanied by eye pressure can be a sign of eye strain, allergies, or sinus infections. Migraines and other headaches can also cause eye-related symptoms.
Some causes of head pressure dont require medical treatment. Home remedies and lifestyle changes may help to improve your symptoms.
Tension headaches in particular have been linked to stress, poor sleep, and mental health conditions such as
- Treat sore muscles with ice or heat.
Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as aspirin, naproxen , and ibuprofen , can also help.
Nasal Wash: Neti Pots Saline Nasal Spray And More
Many people find sinus relief through a saline nasal wash, but it does require some preparation. You can find a lot of these supplies at most drug stores, including
- rinse bottles,
You can buy a pre-filled container or make your own saline solution.
Nasal Saline Solution Recipe
To make your own nasal saline solution, follow this simple recipe:
- 16 ounces of sterile water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
Simply mix the lukewarm, sterile water with the salt. Some people add ½ teaspoon of baking soda to take the sting out of the salt, but this ingredient is optional.
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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.
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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.
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What Is Rhinosinusitis
Rhinosinusitis, or a sinus infection, occurs when your nasal cavities become inflamed, infected and swollen.
Your sinuses are typically air-filled pockets in your facial bone. They’re located:
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In your forehead
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At the bridge of your nose
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At the apples of your cheeks
If they become blocked by fluid, bacteria or germ like viruses can multiply in these hard-to-reach, dark areas, causing an infection.
Sinusitis is typically caused by a virus and can persist even after the symptoms of an upper respiratory condition have disappeared. Sometimes, bacteria might cause a sinus infection. Other disorders can contribute to sinus symptoms and pain such as:
What Causes Sinus Pain
Sinuses are hollow spaces in your facial bones that are lined with membranes that secrete mucus. Sinus pain is often a result of inflammation that blocks mucus from draining and leads to pain.
Sinus swelling can follow viral illnesses, including the common cold, or it can be due to mucus production from allergies or breathing in polluted air that leads to irritation. It can also happen if there are nasal blockages due to abnormal growths called nasal polyps or structural abnormalities, such as a deviated septum, that make you prone to congestion.
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How To Treat A Cold
The best way to treat a common cold is to focus on alleviating the symptoms until the infection has run its course. Since a cold is caused by a virus, antibiotics arent an effective treatment.
Some ways to feel better while youre getting over a cold include taking over-the-counter medications and basic home remedies.
Why Do I Feel Extremely Tired After Sinus Infection
Although sinus infections are very common and some people experience chronic or recurring sinus infections, it still takes a lot of work on the bodys part to deal with a sinus infection.
A common side effect both during and following a sinus infection is fatigue, as the body expends energy fighting the infection. Additionally, many of the symptoms which cause discomfort during a sinus infection can make it difficult to sleep, causing you to feel more tired during the day.
Studies have long shown a connection between chronic sinus infections and chronic fatigue syndrome, which is a condition in which no amount of sleep seems to relieve your fatigue. Although the connection has been observed medically, no causal relationship between the conditions is yet known.
If you have persistent sinus infections causing you discomfort, contact us today to see how we can help.
Schedule An Appointment Today!
Considered the best sinus surgeon in Los Angeles, Dr. Alen Cohen is an expert at successfully treating patients through the use of minimally invasive techniques for the surgical management of nasal and sinus disorders.
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Sinus Infection And Facial Pain
So, is your facial pressure or facial pain due to a sinus infection? Pain is a common sinusitis symptom. You have a few different sinuses below and above your eyes and behind your nose. When you have a sinus infection, these can hurt.
Swelling and inflammation make your sinuses ache with dull pressure. You might feel pain:
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On either side of your nose
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In your forehead
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Between your eyes
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In your teeth and upper jaw
The relentless sinus infection and facial pressure and sinus swelling can cause headache symptoms. Sinus pain can also give you:
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Dental pain
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Earaches
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Pain in your cheeks and jaws
Sinusitis headaches are frequently worse in the morning since fluids have been gathering all night long.
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.
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Why Sinus Pressure Without Congestion Is Unique
It seems like everyone can remember at least one morning where they wake up and just dont feel good. The pressure in their nose paired with the struggle to breathe properly is something we have all experienced at some point.
This issue is known as congestion, and it is that feeling you have when your nose feels blocked. In most cases, you will also experience sinus pressure when you deal with congestion.
Sinus pressure and congestion go hand in hand as congestion is caused by the nasal cavities in your head getting backed up. When these cavities fill up, your sinuses feel the pressure of the added fluid and tend to feel uncomfortable. This is why so often you will see people dealing with both sinus pressure and headaches at the same time.
Just because these two symptoms go hand in hand does not mean that they cant exist in isolation. As we will see, there are many causes of sinus pressure and dizziness that often dont come with added congestion.
Sinus Pressure Causes And Reasons
There are various causes of sinus pressure. A few factors can cause irritation of your nasal passages and bring about symptoms of sinus pressure. Some sinus pressure causes and reasons include:
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Sinusitis. Usually referred to as a sinus infection, sinusitis can cause pressure and pain in your sinuses. You should discuss treatment options with your doctor if you suspect you’re dealing with sinusitis . Sinus infection, referred to as sinusitis, is a common health issue, impacting 31 million Americans.
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Environmental irritants. Airborne pollutants like irritants that cause allergies could trigger sinus pressure and mucus build-up.
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The common cold. All colds aren’t the same, but in some cases, they can cause the symptom mucus build-up and this means sinus pressure.
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Sinus Infection Complications Affecting The Brain
An even more rare, and more serious, complication of sinus infection would be the infection spreading to the brain. The brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier, whose function is to separate circulating blood from the brain and the fluid of the central nervous system. Its very difficult for sinus infection to be able to cross this border, despite the proximity of the sinuses to the brain.
The blood-brain barrier is semipermeable, however, and it is possible on rare occasions for an infection to get through from the sinuses to the brain. If a sinus infection spreads to the brain, it can be a life-threatening condition, leading to swelling of the brain, meningitis, or brain abscess.
Symptoms might include:
- Severe headache, and
- Swelling in the face.
Most of these symptoms would require an emergency visit to the doctor, even without an association with a sinus infection.
How To Do A Nasal Rinse
Nasal saline rinses are a good way to treat discomfort and congestion. They can help flush out mucus, debris, and irritants, and soothe nasal passages.
A neti pot can be used to do this. You fill a pot with a saline rinse that you can buy.
- Place the spout of the pot against one nostril.
- Tilt your head to the side.
- The saline will pour out of the lower nostrilthanks to gravity.
- Repeat steps with the other nostril.
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How You Can Find Relief
Its important to review your sinusitis symptoms and how long youve been having them with a physician. Teladoc doctors can help you determine the possible cause of your symptoms, especially if youre concerned you may have COVID-19. If your sinus problems are caused by allergies, there are strategies and medications that can help bring relief. While bothersome mucus is often an effect of a viral infection, a bacterial infection can develop after a virus has taken hold. In this case, oral antibiotics can help with healing.
Regardless of whats causing all this congestion, try to put the to-do list aside and get some rest. If youre having pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Petroleum jelly can soothe a sore nose on the outside, while nasal drops or a nasal irrigation device can help flush out nasal passages on the inside. Treat and blow each nostril separately, Dr. Hood says.
Also, dont forget about all that mucus youre losing: Moisture should play a key role in your return to good health. Drink plenty of liquids like water, juice, warm broth or soup, Dr. Hood says, and use a cool-mist humidifier to soothe the airways, especially when sleeping. Steam from hot showers can help reduce inflammation and make breathing easier. Also try a warm compress on the nose, cheekbones or forehead for relief from sinusitis symptoms, he adds.
1https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/sinuses.htm
Relieving The Sinus Headache Pain
Some sinus problems can be prevented with regular use of a Neti pot or other rinsing agent to keep your nasal and sinus passages moist.
Once you have that sinus pain, you can relieve the headache with acetaminophen-based products, like BC® Sinus Pain & Congestion powder, that contain acetaminophen as well as an antihistamine and nasal decongestant to help relieve congestion, runny nose and sinus pain.
If your symptoms dont respond to over-the-counter remedies, you think you have a sinus infection or you have other chronic health conditions, be sure to talk to your doctor to get the treatment you need.
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When To See A Doctor
You should see a doctor if you consistently have to take pain medication for head pressure more than two times per week. Make an appointment with your doctor if your head pressure is long term , severe, or unusual for you. Headaches that disrupt your day-to-day activities warrant medical treatment.
If you dont already have a primary care provider, you can browse doctors in your area through the Healthline FindCare tool.
Seeking treatment for an underlying condition, such as sinusitis or an ear infection, can also help relieve head pressure. Depending on your condition, your doctor might refer you to a specialist such as a neurologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist.
When the source of your head pressure isnt clear or symptoms suggest a more serious condition, the doctor might order a CT scan or an MRI scan. Both of these diagnostic procedures produce a detailed image of your brain that your doctor will use to learn more about what is causing your head pressure.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of head pressure.
Tension headaches are treated with a combination of OTC and prescription medications.
Some medications treat tension headache pain when it occurs. These include OTC pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen, and combination drugs, which combine two or more pain medications with either caffeine or a drug to help you relax.