Are Your Sinuses Causing Your Headache?
Headaches can be debilitating and have a significant impact on our daily lives. There are many potential causes of headaches, such as stress, dehydration or poor sleep, but one common culprit is sinus problems.
If you frequently suffer from headaches accompanied by other symptoms like facial pain, congestion or pressure, it might be a sign that your sinuses are to blame. Various factors, including allergies, infections and structural issues, can cause sinus headaches.
What Are Sinus Headaches?
Sinus headaches are a type of headache that occurs when the sinuses, which are air-filled cavities in the skull, become inflamed or congested. The inflammation can cause pain, pressure and a feeling of fullness in the forehead, cheeks or behind the eyes. Sometimes, sinus headaches can cause toothaches, earaches and neck pain.
How to Identify a Sinus Headache
Sinus headaches are often characterized by a dull, throbbing pain in the forehead, cheeks or around the eyes. Other common symptoms include:
- Pressure or fullness in the sinuses
- Congestion or stuffiness in the nose
- Aching in the upper teeth or jaw
- Post-nasal drip or a tickling sensation in the throat
- Fatigue or malaise
You may suffer sinus headaches if you experience these symptoms regularly, especially during or after a cold or allergy flareup.
How to Treat Sinus Headaches
The good news is that sinus headaches are often treatable. If you suspect that you have a sinus headache, there are a few steps you can take to alleviate your symptoms:
- Rest: One of the most important things you can do to help relieve a sinus headache is to get plenty of rest. Take a break from your regular routine and allow your body to recover.
- Hydration: Drinking plenty of water can help to reduce congestion and thin out the mucus in your sinuses.
- Humidity: Using a humidifier or taking a hot shower can help to moisten the air and ease sinus pressure.
- Pain relief: Over-the-counter pain medications, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, can help to relieve the pain and discomfort associated with sinus headaches.
- Medical Treatment: If home remedies do not offer relief, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics, nasal sprays or other medications to reduce inflammation and promote drainage.
- Surgical Intervention: If underlying problems are not addressed as a part of your treatment, the chances of your sinus headaches returning with more significant severity increase. Therefore, some cases require surgery – like surgical sinuplasty – to open blocked sinuses and improve drainage.
- Balloon sinuplasty treatment: Balloon sinuplasty is a minimally invasive alternative to surgical sinuplasty. It is an endoscopic procedure that relieves symptoms caused by chronic sinus and nasal problems by opening the sinus passages using an inflatable balloon catheter.
Sinus Headache Relief in NY
If you are experiencing persistent headaches accompanied by facial pain or pressure, please get in touch with us at New York Sinusitis Treatment today to schedule a consultation to rule out any underlying conditions. Then, with the proper treatment and care, you can reduce your symptoms and return to your daily routine.
