The Link Between Sinus Infections and Headaches

Headaches are a major problem, with over 100 types that 3.1 billion people (almost 40% of the global population) struggle with. However, they are still undertreated, underdiagnosed, and underestimated in terms of their impact on people’s lives. Defined as pain in any region of the head, headaches can present with a range of different symptoms, cause mild inconvenience periodically, or keep people from everyday activities for long periods.

Sinus infections (also called rhinosinusitis or sinusitis) can cause pain in the form of sinus headaches. Understanding the link between the two illnesses can help determine if other factors are involved. Let’s examine how sinus headaches develop and what we can do to ease the pain.

If you live in the Orlando or Kissimmee, Florida, area and you’re experiencing sinus headaches or related issues, Drs. Wade Han, Elvira Livigni De Armas, and their staff at Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center can help.

Causes of sinus infections

This is the term for sinus inflammation caused by viruses, bacteria, or allergic reactions. When this happens, your sinuses become swollen, blocked, and filled with fluid, leading to sinus pressure and nasal congestion.

Several upper respiratory illnesses, such as influenza (the flu), the common cold, and seasonal allergies, are common causes of this type of infection. Additional factors that increase the risk of this illness include nasal polyps, a deviated septum, smoking, and a weakened immune system.

Reasons a sinus headache develops

Your sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull behind your eyes and nose. The mucus they produce helps reduce the allergens, viruses, and bacteria that cause infection. When your sinuses become infected, they fill with mucus and cause pressure behind your nose and eyes, leading to a range of symptoms, including pain, depending on where the sinuses are infected.

This illness is also commonly mistaken for a migraine attack, which can have similar symptoms by causing pain along the trigeminal nerve that interacts with the sinuses. However, symptoms specific to migraine also include vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and light and sound sensitivity.

Treatment options

Sinusitis-related headaches are treated by relieving the symptoms of the underlying upper respiratory illness. Methods include antibacterials, pain relievers, nasal sprays, nasal irrigation, and allergy medication or shots if an allergic reaction causes a headache. If the problem becomes chronic, we also offer balloon sinuplasty. This flexible device inserts a balloon into the sinuses and expands to relieve pressure and help clean out the affected area.

Sinus headaches can be frustrating but are very treatable. If you’re dealing with the effects of this or other sinus conditions, make an appointment with Drs. Han, Livigni De Armas, and the Florida Ear Nose Throat & Facial Plastic Surgery Center today.