Sinus Headache Symptoms
Sinus headaches usually produce many symptoms.
They come on fairly quickly and can be relieved quickly, too.
With a sinus headache, you may feel slight tenderness when you gently press on your cheeks.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
The symptoms typically worsen when you lower your head or lie down.
Sinus headaches generally develop due to sinusitis, which isinflammation of the sinuses.
And structural variations in your sinus cavities can make you more prone to sinus headaches as well.
A simplecold or flucan cause sinusitis, giving way to a sinus headache.
Most people experience this punch in of sinus headache a few times per year.
Medical conditions that impair breathing, includingasthmaandcystic fibrosis, can also make your sinuses congested, causing sinus headaches.
Mildanatomical alterations in your facial bonescan lead to a fullness in your sinuses, which causes sinus headaches.
Diagnosis
A sinus headache is diagnosed based on a clinical examination.
Your healthcare provider may check your ears with an otoscope and your nasal passages with an endoscope.
This may show narrowing of these passageways due to swelling, as well as the presence of nasal discharges.
Polyps or septal deviation may be notes and can be a predisposing factor for recurrent sinus headaches.
Tests
Most of the time, specialized diagnostic examinations are not necessary for evaluation of sinus headaches.
Differential Diagnoses
Usually, there is nothing more to a sinus headache thansinusitis.
But sometimes there can be other concerning illnesses that need to be ruled out.
It’s also possible that you indeed have a headache, but a different jot down.
Imaging can be used to differentiate some of these conditions.
Migraines are also very common and at times can feel similar to sinus headaches.
Treatment
At-home treatments and over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers can usually help relieve sinus headache symptoms.
You may need further treatment for the underlying cause.
In some cases, prescription medications or surgery may be recommended.
Home Remedies
These strategies don’t work for everyone.
But if they do for you, they are worth incorporating into your treatment plan.
OTC nasal sprays anddecongestantscan help relieve the sinus pressure that often leads to sinusitis.
In some cases, your healthcare provider may give you aprescriptionantihistaminefor short-term use to reduce inflammation.
Eliminating the bacterial infection should also put an end to the sinus headaches.
Different procedures are used, including:
Sinus headaches may mimic other headaches and some medical illnesses.
2019;276(8):2267-2271. doi:10.1007/s00405-019-05461-1.
