Sinus headaches are associated with pressure within the nasal sinuses and are typically located over the affected sinus area. This pain is constant, even, and not throbbing. It is also not associated with nausea, light, or noise sensitivity. When accompanied by fever and a yellow or green discharge, the sinus headaches are usually caused by acute sinusitis. The treatment of sinusitis is somewhat controversial because the overuse of antibiotics is an increasing concern and most sinusitis cases are not bacterial. If the sinus infection is bacterial, antibiotic treatment or surgical drainage of the infected sinus may be required. Migraine headaches are frequently misclassified as sinus headaches. This is because a migraine headache can last up to 3 days, be associated with sinus symptoms, and can then go away for an extended length of time.
This educational content was written by Brian D. Loftus, MD, a neurologist, headache specialist and a developer of iHeadache. The science and study of headaces is changing rapidly. If there is information on this page that is incorrect or needs revision, please contact us.
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