What is a sinus headache?
Although sinus discomfort is a very common condition in the United States, recent research has shown that sinus headaches, without any other signs of sinusitis, are usually a type of migraine headache. According the American Migraine Association, a study of 3,000 people showed that at least 80% of people who thought they had sinus related headaches were actually experiencing migraines. This is because symptoms of a sinus infection can feel very similar to a migraine headache due to overlapping nerve distributions in the face.
How do I know if I have a sinus infection or migraines?
SINUSITIS
A sinus infection (sinusitis) usually presents as a constellation of symptoms, including nasal congestion, thick nasal discharge, and facial pain or pressure. Typically, sinus infections occur following a viral upper respiratory infection. If your sinus pressure is not associated with these other symptoms, you are unlikely to be experiencing a sinusitis.
MIGRAINES
Migraine headaches represent a type of headache that presents in a variety of ways. In some people, odd neurological symptoms (like numbness, tingling, sensations of pressure in the head) are warning signs of an incoming headache. The headaches are usually throbbing or pulsing in nature, and can be associated with nausea and sensitivity to bright lights or loud noises. Occasionally migraines can cause severe vertigo, called vestibular migraines. Migraines can also target the sinuses, causing the sensation of pressure and nasal congestion. However, once the headaches are appropriately controlled, these other symptoms tend to disappear.
Can I have sinus pressure without having an infection or a headache?
Chronic inflammation in the nose can cause the small passageways that connect your sinuses to your nasal passage to be blocked, producing a pressure gradient between the two areas. Mild symptoms are controlled using nasal sprays and decongestants. Patients with more chronic symptoms can require special in-office procedures, like balloon sinuplasty, to permanently expand these narrowed sinus passages.
How are migraines and sinus headaches treated?
The treatment of headaches involves a two part approach: 1) Use medications to raise the brain threshold required to initiate a migraine and 2) make lifestyle changes to reduce the effect of the environment on the frequency of the headaches (for instance, identifying triggering foods and reducing stress levels). There are many classes of medications used in treating migraines, and often, a trial and error approach is needed to find the one that works the best for you while limiting any potential side effects. Every treatment strategy is different and individualized to the severity of symptoms.
