Air-filled cavities called sinuses are present in your face. They are located in your forehead, in the cheekbones, between your eyes and behind your eyes. An infection of your sinuses called sinusitis causes swelling of the sinus lining. If you have sinusitis, mucus or pus will get trapped in the sinuses. This will result in sinus headaches. Sinus headaches commonly occur after a cold or due to allergies.
Headache Features
The pain could be in your forehead, around your eyes, at the top of your head or in the cheek. The location of the pain depends on which sinus is involved. The pain is a dull and deep throbbing pain. It increases on straining, lying down and bending forward. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the pain is frequently worst in the morning because the mucus collects in the sinuses over night.
Associated Symptoms
The sinus headache often accompanies a bad cold. You may experience nose block, yellow or green discharge from your nose, fever, ear block and a swelling of your face. You will also feel weak and tired and may have a mucus drip at the back of your throat called postnasal drip.
Diagnosis
If you have a severe headache or a headache that lasts longer than 10 days, you should see your doctor. Your doctor will examine you. You will experience pain when he presses on the area of the sinuses if the sinusitis is causing the headache. He may see pus-ike discharge in your nose. Your doctor may order special tests like X-rays and CT scan, which will help to find if there is a sinus infection.
Home Remedies
According to American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS), there are several home remedies to get rid of the sinus headache. Steam inhalations will give some relief. Alternate hot and cold compresses will reduce the pain. Painkillers like acetaminophen and naproxen also help.
Treatment
Your doctor will treat your sinus headache by treating the underlying sinus infection. He will prescribe you a course of antibiotics if he suspects a bacterial cause. Antibiotics are given for 10 to 14 days for acute infections and for a month for chronic infections. You should finish the entire course to kill all the germs according to Mayo Clinic. Your doctor may recommomend salt-water sprays and decongestants for your nose to reduce the swelling and congestion in your sinuses. In addition, he may prescribe an antihistamine if allergies are the cause of sinusitis. A nasal steroid spray will help reduce the associated sneezing, itching and runny nose.
For chronic and long-term sinus infections resulting in sinus headache that do not improve with medicines, surgery may be required. Your doctor will enlarge the opening of sinuses, so that the mucus can drain.
