Acute Sinus Headache: Symptoms, Treatment, and Prevention
Sinus headaches are a common type of headache that can be caused by a variety of factors. The pain associated with sinus headaches is usually located around the forehead or the cheeks and can be quite intense. If you’ve ever experienced sinus headaches, you know first-hand how debilitating they can be. In this blog post, we’re going to discuss what causes sinus headaches, their symptoms, treatments, and prevention tips.
What Causes Sinus Headaches?
Sinus headaches are caused by inflammation of the nasal passages due to allergies or infections such as colds or the flu. This inflammation causes the membranes in your nose to swell up and become blocked, preventing air from passing through your nose freely. This blockage causes pressure to build up in your head which leads to pain. In some cases, it may also cause swelling in other areas of your face like your eyes or cheeks.
Symptoms of Sinus Headache
The primary symptom of a sinus headache is intense pain around the forehead or cheek area that may worsen when you move your head or lean forward. Other symptoms include a stuffy nose, runny nose with greenish-yellow discharge, coughing, fatigue and fever. It’s important to note that not all people will experience all of these symptoms when they have a sinus headache so if you only have some or none at all don’t worry—it doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t a sinus headache.
Treatment for Sinus Headache
The best way to treat a sinus headache is to reduce the inflammation in your nasal passages which will help relieve the pressure and reduce the pain. You can do this by taking over-the-counter antihistamines such as Claritin or Zyrtec or decongestants like Sudafed which can help reduce swelling and open up your nasal passages so air can pass through more easily. In some cases antibiotics may also be prescribed if an infection is present but this should only be done under the direction of a healthcare professional. Additionally drinking plenty of fluids and using a humidifier can help keep mucous membranes moist which helps decrease inflammation as well.
A sinus headache is one of the most common types of headaches and it can be incredibly painful if left untreated for too long. To avoid experiencing one it’s important to take steps towards prevention such as avoiding triggers like allergens that may cause an inflammatory response in your body or getting adequate rest if you feel yourself coming down with something like a cold or flu virus that could lead to an infection causing inflammation in your nasal passages leading to a sinus headache if left untreated for too long. Taking action early on will help prevent you from having to suffer through one!
