What is a Headache?
A Headache is the most common pain in the body and may have many causes. It is defined as pain in the upper neck or head. Review Classifications of headaches further below for headache types and information.
What is a Sinus Headache?
A sinus headache and sinus pressure is a result of blocked sinuses or congestion of mucus caused by inflammation in the para-nasal sinus cavities. The inflammation of the sinuses can decrease the ability for the mucus to drain, which increases the pressure within the sinus cavities. There are many factors which can cause a sinus headache, but at the core of the preventative measures is to limit the inflammatory factors which cause this pressure.
Your sinuses are hollow, air-filled cavities that are in the skull and which are connected to the nasal airway by a narrow hole in the bone (ostium). There are four pair of these cavities (see what is a sinus?). To maintain the optimum sinus health, your sinuses must be able to exchange air and mucus through the ostium. When this becomes inflamed and blockage occurs, one can feel “stuffed up” or have a sinus headache. Any one of the four sinus cavities can become blocked, irritated or inflamed – alone, or together. This is why you may feel pain in one part of the face or behind one eye or in various parts of the face.
There are various intensities of a sinus headache which can start with sinus pressure and can include very painful and debilitating symptoms with a sinus infection.
Symptoms: include stuffiness, feeling pressure behind the eyes, pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose.
- Pressure and pain behind or around the eyes, ears, cheeks and temples
- Headaches with a feeling of congestion
- Pain in the upper teeth
- Feeling sluggish, fatigued
- Puffiness in the face and swelling
- Fever and shivers
You may also experience the following:
- Mucus discharge (yellow or green)
- Post nasal drip
- Coughing or a “dry cough”
- Blocked nasal ways
Treatment for Sinus Headaches – Take Action Quickly!
The goal is to decrease the inflammation within the sinus passages, which will allow them to drain, and to decrease the pressure that is causing the headache. Strategies to eliminate this inflammation to restore the proper flow or air and mucus include:
1. Drink more water – ½ an ounce per pound of body weight. A lack of hydration can cause headaches.
2. Acupressure – place your index fingers on either side of your nostrils and apply pressure, pull outward.
3. Sinus Survival Sinuthyme – A natural mucolytic with herbs prescribed by doctors in Germany for inflammatory reduction.
4. Sinus Herbal Survival Spray – A natural botanical mist which is an excellent irrigant, moisturizer and soothing properties for sinuses.
5. The SinuPulse Elite Irrigation System – Use as often as every 3 hours with a sinus headache.
6. Hummmm. That right. By humming as the Tibetan Monks do, it has been shown to vibrate the bones in the sinus cavities to help clear the head. If you are in your car driving alone or are in a quiet place, trying humming either the letters mmmmmm or hummmm.
7. Diet – Stop eating inflammatory foods, increase the intake of non-inflammatory foods (see free Silver Membership for sample details). Examples: reduce caffeine and dairy, increase turmeric, red cherries, blueberries and omega 3’s.
8. Gold Membership – Follow the complete Sinus Survival inflammation reduction plan for an education in eliminating sinus headaches, congestion and other symptoms before they start.
Common Inflammatory Causes Sinus Headaches
- Dry Air caused by winter hot air furnaces, car heaters, summer air conditioners, arid climates. Use Sinus Survival Spray daily to keep optimal sinus health. (if you have dry nasal mucus – dry boogers in your nose, this is your cue to use a botanical spray. Also use a room humidifier at night). Many refer to this headache as a Dry Sinus Headache.
- Cold Air, Winter Air.
- Polluted air, floating particles, dust dander, dust mites, pollens.
- Perfumes, smells, chemicals in carpets, cleaning supplies etc.
- Positive Ions released from computers, electronics, floating particles in the air. Indoor pollution can be 100x higher than outdoors. Use of the Sinus Survival AirVitalizer releases trillions of negatively charged ions per second. People remark that they feel like they have a “clear head” when having an ionizer in the home or office.
- Food, diet, food allergies.
- Colds, viruses
- Barometric pressure changes
Other common causes of facial pain include:
- Sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses)
- Sinus infection (this is the next stage of sinus pain if sinus blockage or a cold has remained for a week or longer).
- Abscessed tooth
- Injury to the face or nose
- Trigeminal neuralgia
Classifications of Headaches:
In 2007 the International Headache Society defined headaches as:
1. Primary Headaches – the most common including:
- Tension headache
- Migraine headache
- Cluster headache
2. Secondary Headaches – Underlying structural problem in head or neck
3 Cranial neuralgias, facial pain, sinus and other headaches – This group of headaches is caused by inflammation in the nerves, sinus cavities, teeth and include facial pain and sinus pain.