Just like what the name says, a sinus headache is brought about by sinusitis, which is the inflammation of the sinuses. A mild case of a sinus headache can be treated with the help of certain home remedies. There are also medications for dealing with sinusitis as well as the various signs and symptoms it brings. If a sinus headache is recurrent due to frequent sinusitis, surgery may be performed to widen the sinuses.
If you believe that most of your bouts of headaches are due to sinusitis, keep on reading. Below you will come across some of the most important things you need to know about a sinus headache.
Don’t forget to share this article on your different social media sites afterwards as some of your family members and friends may also be suffering from a sinus headache every now and then.
Cause
Simply put, a sinus headache is brought about by the inflammation of your sinuses, which is referred to by doctors as sinusitis. Sometimes it is also called sinus infections or rhinosinusitis.
Your sinuses are hollow spaces found in the bones of your face. You actually have four pairs of them and they can be found across the cheeks, the bridge of the nose and the area above the eyes. Scientists do not really know the reason why you have sinuses, although they suspect that they are there to prevent unnecessary loss of heat in the face, make your skull lighter, or cause the voice to be louder.
Those sinuses are lined with the same material that line you nasal cavity, and it can become inflamed due to bacterial infection or an allergy. Basically, that’s how sinusitis happens.
Signs and Symptoms
There are many signs and symptoms brought about by sinusitis. They include increased nasal mucus, stuffy nose and reduced sense of smell. At times the individual may also have a sore throat, cough and fever especially if the sinuses are inflamed due to an infection. Of course there is also headache that is referred to as a sinus headache.
Aside from a headache, someone who is having a bout of sinusitis may also experience facial pain, specifically on areas of the face where the sinuses can be found. Facial pain brought about by sinusitis may worsen when the individual blows his or her nose, cough, bend down or lean over. By the way, areas of the face that are achy may also look swollen at times.
Treatment
If the sinus headache as well as other signs and symptoms of sinusitis you are experiencing are just mild, you may deal with them using some tried and tested home remedies. Some of them include inhaling steam and placing a washcloth on the face that’s dipped in hot water.
Health authorities recommend taking plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids to help accelerate the healing of sinusitis, and also to minimize a sinus headache.
If the pain of a sinus headache is severe, an OTC painkilling medication may be taken. However, taking a trip to the doctor is a good idea if the various signs and symptoms of sinusitis are severe. This is true if none of the home remedies tried offered relief.
For a sinus headache that is due to sinusitis brought about by an infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. On the other hand, something that is due to an allergy may be treated with a nasal spray that contains either steroids or antihistamines.
If you are constantly getting a sinus headache due to sinusitis for 3 months, it is recommended that you pay an ENT specialist a visit for further assessment so that the necessary treatment may be provided.
