Sinus Headache

You are not alone. About 4 out of 10 adults in the United States suffered from sinus headaches. You don't have to tell me how painful and annoying sinus headache is. Imagine the pounding headache, nasal congestion, non-stop runny nose, gradual weakness, fatigue, sleepless nights, lost work, and ruined vacation.

Sinus headache, a type of secondary headache, happens when you get sinus infection. Sinus infection is also known as sinusitis. Sinusitis is an inflammation of the sinuses- air cavities in the cranial bones (the bones of the skull). When you have sinus infection, the lining of the nasal passages becomes inflamed. The mucus begins to build up in the sinuses which leads to blockage and inflammation.

Most headache specialists believe that chronic sinus headache doesn't exist. Many headache victims assume "sinus headaches" or allergies cause their head pains. It is true that these conditions can occasionally cause headache, but they are not the underlying cause of headaches in the most cases. Most sufferers who associate their head pains to chronic sinus headaches are actually having chronic tension headaches.

Sinus infection is a serious problem. People with chronic sinusitis reported the highest level of pain. It can adversely affect your lifestyle and daily activities including your sleep, recreational activities, work productivity and family relationship.

Generally viral infection such as cold and allergy can trigger sinus headache. The chances of getting sinus headache are greater if you've an injury to the bones in the nose or a deformity of the nose. How often you get this head pain and how serious the illness is depend on

• how cold and dry the weather is,

• environmental trigger such as mold and pollen

• viral infection such as cold

Sinus infection causes localized, dull headaches in the forehead, behind and between the eyes or in the cheeks. You'll feel facial pressure, pain in the upper teeth, and back of the neck. You can make it worse by blowing your nose and bending forward. Green or yellow nasal discharge often happens. Other accompanying symptoms include swollen lymph node, nasal congestion, fatigue, fever, chills, and post nasal drip. If left untreated, the infections can spread to your brain and membranes that covers the brain.

The first step to treat sinus headache is to recognize the symptoms. 93% of the pain is located around the eye, cheeks and forehead. For an effective sinus headache cure, all you have to do is to clear the sinus passages with nasal irrigation. It is commonly known as nasal lavage or nasal rinse. It is the key to healthier sinuses. It can ease the pressure in the sinuses. It drains out excess mucus which may cause blockage in breathing and helps to create more spaces to breathe. By flushing your sinuses regularly, you also get rid of debris such as bacteria, mold, and dust which lead to swelling in nasal tissues.

Saline rinse is an inexpensive and natural method of nasal rinse which you can make at home. Other methods of nasal irrigation are humidifiers, nasal tape, mechanical dilators, saline sprays, and moisturizing sprays and gels. This is a very effective sinus headache remedy as it keeps your nose clean and it can reduce sinusitis symptoms. It is easy, cheap, and leaves no adverse side effects.

To overcome the effects of allergies, antihistamines or oral medicines such as Dristan, Benadryl Allergy, Motrin, Aleve and Sudafed sinus headache can act as a relief for your swelling and pain. You can also try Tavist Allergy. It is the only over-the-counter medication that combine the antihistamine clemastine fumarate with a nasal decongestant and pain reliever. Other common over-the-counter pain relievers such as aspirin, acetaminophen, and ibuprofen can also soothe the pain. For blocked sinuses, get nasal decongestant or nasal spray to reduce the congestion.

When is the time to consult your doctor? Only when

• the pain lasts over an extended period.

• your sinus headache fails to respond to OTC medicines and other treatment

• you've severe sinus headache which persists more than a week

• you get fever due to bacterial infection. You need the doctor to prescribe antibiotics. However antibiotics cannot help if the virus is the culprit.

• you're suffering from primary headaches such as migraine, tension headache or cluster headache.

For diagnosis of a sinus headache, your doctor will check your medical history and perform a physical exam. If your doctor think you've sinusitis, he may confirm the diagnosis with an x-ray or a CT scan. These tests can show if you've any swelling or fluid in the sinus tissue.

In some cases, a sinus headache can be misdiagnosed. You may actually have a migraine headache instead. 9 out of 10 people with sinus headache-like symptoms are actually suffering from migraine. Failure to tell the difference between the two can lead you to wrong treatment.