By Joe Gardener
Sinus headache symptoms are common symptoms that most people have had from time to time. Some people are plagued with constant sinus headaches, but for most people who don't have sinus problems they're an infrequent annoyance. There are some distinct differences in the symptoms from a sinus headache and a regular headache.
Your sinuses are the empty spaces behind your cheekbones and your nose, and one just behind your forehead. These cavities contain air, which explains why when it's very cold outside and you breathe in, you can get sudden and sharp pain in any of these areas from the super cold air you've drawn through them by breathing.
These cavities aren't dry, but instead are coated in a thin layer of mucus that protects them. When something causes your sinuses to swell up a little, like illness or allergies, the mucus can't flow out naturally and is kept inside. This backing up of the mucus causes pain in those cavities, that feels like a headache located in those sinus areas.
When you have pain in that feels like it's right in your forehead, the bridge of your nose or your cheekbones, and it's constant, you've most likely got a sinus headache. Usually there are other symptoms to help clue you in that it's a sinus headache, like a runny nose, a feeling of stuffiness in the ears and even a fever, if the illness that has caused the inflammation comes with fever. In comes cases, the face can even look swelled.
Sinus headache symptoms can be severe. The pain in the face and forehead can be mild but constant, yet often it's a very deep, intense pain. Moving the head from side to side, bending over, or even just lowering or raising the head a little can cause the pain to flare.
If you have what you believe to be sinus headaches you should see your doctor to be sure and rule out anything else that could cause that type of pain. If the pain is accompanied by a fever, and instead of something that's ongoing the pain has come along with the fever, then you probably have an infection that has caused the inflammation and pain. You should seek treatment from your doctor for the infection, and that will relieve the sinus blockage.
If you get antibiotics for the infection, that will quickly start to relieve fever and swelling and should bring relief from sinus headache symptoms. You may also get some sort of decongestant and/or antihistamine to help the sinus headache symptoms while you're waiting for the swelling to go down from the antibiotics. Pain relievers and anti-inflammation medications are also effective.
When allergies cause the inflammation that causes sinus headaches, the allergy must be treated to lower the inflammation, and pain relievers as well as anti-inflammation medications can help the headache. Since sinus headache symptoms do mimic symptoms of some other conditions, if you have any doubt that it's your sinuses you should see your doctor for confirmation.
Joe Gardner has years of experience working in health care and writing for health care trades. He writes about many health subjects, including sinus headache symptoms, allergies, and cancer treatments.
Source:www.isnare.com |
