Sinus Headaches: The Underlying Factors

Whenever we have a stuffy nose the first thought is usually “here comes a cold”. At these moments we often start taking medication to treat the oncoming cold. Many times these medications can temporarily provide relief from the symptoms of a “cold” but they ignore the underlying cause.

A sinus headache occurs only when the sinus passage becomes congested with too much mucus. As the sinus passage is hollow they provide your nose with another way of breathing. Also the passage way is lined with membranes that make mucus. The nasal openings at the ends of your nose allow the mucus to drain away without causing you any problems (when everything is working correctly).

In general, a sinus headache is due to the fact that there is some swelling in the sinus cavity. This swelling can be found around the nose and the eyes. Other causes of sinus headaches are various allergies or infections. For any sinus headache that is caused by an allergy or infection there is a strong chance that you may get a fever, stuffy nose or even toothaches.

Sinus headache pain is described as being a dull, deep or even severe pain that is located in the front of the face and the head. The inflammation in the sinus passage causes pain around the cheeks, eyes and the nose areas. Bending down or leaning over generally is found to increase the severity of the pain.

Sometimes, sinus headache pain becomes worse in cold weather conditions. However, dampness is also a contributing factor for sinus headaches. Generally, the sinus headache is very painful in the morning hours and it becomes better towards the afternoon. Two other types of headaches are sometimes mistaken for sinus headaches, these are vascular headaches and migraine headaches.

Many sufferers of migraine headaches have found that their migraine headaches can cause similar types of head pain and sometimes nasal congestion. These people also state that changes in the weather or season can contribute towards their migraine headaches.

In order to treat sinus headaches it is best to find the underlying cause first. Once this problem has been identified it is possible to provide treatment for that condition first. This problem may be an allergy or an infection. The use off nasal vasoconstrictors and analgesic medication can be used. When the condition has been cleared then the treatment for sinus headache pain can begin.

While a sinus headache can be problematic the condition is completely treatable. With understanding our bodies and the various responses that can be found to sinus headaches we can find ways to prevent or reduce the severity of any future episodes of sinus headache pain.