Do I have a Sinus headache and how can I get rid of it?

If you feel pain and pressure in your sinuses, you may be quick to blame a “headache of the sinuses” for what you feel. But unless you have a sinus infection, there is a good chance that your unpleasant symptoms come from a migraine.

Jump at the main dishes to remember.

What does a Sinus headache look like?

When you have a sinus headache, you may feel pressure and pain around your eyes, your forehead and your cheeks.

Other symptoms of sinus infection include:

• A flowing nose or congestioned
• Mucus flowing in the throat (post-nasal drip)
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Bad breath

Is it really a migraine?

A real Sinus headache, or rhinosinusitisis caused by a viral or bacterial sinus infection and is somewhat rare, while migraine is a common complex neurological condition which affects up to 15% of adults.

A historical study has revealed that most people who diagnose with sovereign headaches have a migraine. Indeed, many symptoms and triggers of migraine are generally attributed to those of the headaches of the sinuses.

The symptoms of migraine that imitate the headaches of the sinuses include pain in the front of the head, a nasal congestion and a nose and eyes flowing. This happens because the nerves that are activated during a migraine attack takes place in the head and face, including the sinuses, the nose and the eyes.

Because symptoms often overlap, health care providers and patients can find the difference between sinus headache and difficult migraine. But there are some differences:

How to treat the headaches and the symptoms of the sinuses

It is important to work with a health care provider to determine whether your symptoms come from a sinus infection or a migraine because the treatment differs for each.

Fast relief

For a quick relief of a sinus headache, you can try:

• Apply a hot and humid toilet glove on your face several times a day
• Drink a lot of liquids to lighten the mucus
• Use of a humidifier
• Inhaling steam two to four times a day
• Using an over -the -counter analgesic (OTC) such as tylenol (acetaminophen) or advil / motorrin (ibuprofen)
• Use of an over -the -counter nasal decongestant
• Use of an over -the -counter nasal nasal nasal spray or a pot or a bottle of neti with a saline solution to rinse the sinuses several times a day

If your symptoms of sovereign headaches come from a sinus infection due to a virus, you should feel better in about seven days. If your sinus infection is caused by bacteria, your healthcare professional will probably have to prescribe antibiotics to treat it.

Management of chronic headaches

Sinus infections will probably not work if your pain is due to migraine. Migraine is a complex condition without remedy and requires a unique treatment plan for everyone. This plan may include acute and preventive treatments, as well as behavior and lifestyle changes, in particular by avoiding your specific triggers.

In the United States, around 1% to 5% of people in the United States have chronic rhinosinusitis (a sinus infection for at least 12 consecutive weeks). In these cases, health care providers will work to determine the cause. Treatments such as nasal steroid vaporizers and saline rinsing can be recommended to improve inflammation and drainage of sinuses.

What are the underlying causes of sinus infections?

Certain conditions may increase the risk of sinus and headache infections of the sinuses. They include:

• A previous cold
• Allergies
• A low immune system
• Nasal growths (polyps)
• Asthma

Because viruses cause most sinus infections, you can reduce your risk of obtaining one by avoiding close contact with people who have a cold or other higher respiratory infections.

When to see a health care provider

Most viral sinus infections will disappear by themselves without medical treatment, while most bacterial infections of the sinuses will improve after an antibiotic course. You should see a health care provider if:

• Your symptoms last more than 10 to 14 days.
• Your symptoms worsen after seven days.
• You have a headache, fever or severe vision.
• You still have symptoms after taking all your antibiotics.

Your health care provider will discuss your symptoms with you, examine you and possibly refer to an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT) or another specialist for additional tests.

If you believe that your Sinus headache is a symptom of migraine, consult a health care provider if you do not find a relief of the ancient analgesics or if you have four headache or more per month.

Main to remember

• In many cases, what is called a “headache of sinuses” is actually the symptoms of a migraine.
• A real Sinus headache comes from a sinus infection, which has symptoms which generally differ from a migraine.
• It is important to determine whether a sinus infection or a migraine means that your headache gets appropriate treatment.