Inside your forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of your nose are your sinuses with air-filled spaces. Generally due to an allergic reaction or an infection, they swell, produce more mucus, and the channels that drain them can get blocked when they are inflamed. The pain that the buildup of pressure in the sinuses cause feels very much like a headache. Today we at ENT Specialists would like to discuss the fundamentals of these sinus headaches.
There are a series of symptoms that evolve, and the sinus headache can occur before during, or even after the coinciding symptoms. Most people will experience a deep and constant pain in their cheekbones, forehead, and/or the bridge of the nose. Often when you move your head suddenly or strain, the pain will get stronger. Other sinus symptoms include the following:
– Fever
– Pressure in the ears
– Runny nose
– Swelling around your face
Migraines or tension headaches or other recurring headaches are often confused with sinus headaches. It is essential to figure out if your symptoms are caused by your sinuses because the treatment is dictated by what is causing the headache or what type of headache you have. You will likely experience a fever if there is sinus blockage, such as an infection.
If there is an infection you want to make sure that is treated, and the ultimate goal is to relieve all of your symptoms, especially the pain in your sinus area. For a short time, antibiotics may be recommended and the antihistamines or decongestants can also improve your systems. If you prefer the inhaled nasal decongestants, keep in mind these medicines should not be used more than 3 days. Using these medications longer will only worsen your symptoms. Over-the-counter pain relievers can help reduce or eliminate the pain and if they are ineffective, your doctor can prescribe corticosteroids to ease the inflammation in your sinuses. You may also need to consider allergy prevention medicine if the sinus headaches are caused by the sinus flare-ups that are developed from allergic reactions. Using a humidifier, or saltwater nasal spray as well as drinking more fluids can also contribute to reducing the symptoms. You should also consider that the headaches are due to overuse of medications if you often take decongestant and pain-relieving medicines. Have you been relying on medication for long-term relief, touch base with your doctor. Additionally, decongestants can raise your blood pressure. Sinus surgery might be an option in rare cases to remove polyps or open up small or constantly swollen sinuses.
Though the sinus headaches can be painful, treating the congestion alone will not relieve them. Each condition typically needs to be treated separately and you should see a health care provider concerning these issues, especially if they occur frequently. ENT Specialists can evaluate your sinus headaches and find the underlying problems. We offer many solutions including surgery to remove any nasal polyps as well as balloon surgery. Contact us to learn more today!
