Headache Sinus

Sinus headaches cause a dull deep or severe pain in the front of your head and in your face. They are caused by an infection in the passages behind the cheeks nose and eyes. Bending down or leaning over makes the pain worse as does cold and damp weather. Sinus headaches are often worse in the morning and better by afternoon.

Signs and Symptoms

Sinus headaches produce the following symptoms.

• Dull or severe pain in one area at the front of your head
• Yellow or green discharge from your nose
• Red and swollen nasal passages
• Mild to moderate fever
• General sense of not feeling well

What Causes It?

Colds or respiratory viruses leave sinuses vulnerable to bacterial infection. Microorganisms can get into your sinuses and cause your mucous membranes to swell. This blocks normal drainage and the increase in pressure results in a headache.

What to Expect at Your Provider's Office

Your health care provider may look in your nose and press spots on your face to check for soreness. Your provider may want you to have a computed tomography (CT) scan of your sinuses.

Treatment Options

Treatment Plan

Treatment goals are to get rid of any infection you might have and to improve drainage. Using a vaporizer or inhaler can help shrink swollen passages and promote drainage. Nasal sprays can help you breath more easily. If you need to take antibiotics be sure to take all of the medication prescribed or your sinus infection may return.

Drug Therapies

Prescription

• Nasal vasoconstrictor sprays—relieve symptoms; for example phenylephrine; do not use for more than 7 days
• Systemic vasoconstrictors—taken orally to relieve symptoms; for example pseudoephedrine; less reliable than nasal sprays; various side effects
• Antibiotics—for sinus headache caused by bacterial infection; be sure to take all the medicine prescribed for you; various side effects

Over the Counter

• Various over-the-counter sinus medications are available. Consult your provider if your symptoms persist.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

These can be very helpful at minimizing the discomfort treating the infection stimulating the immune system clearing the congestion and decreasing the frequency of sinus headaches and infections.

Nutrition

Use the same general nutrition for fighting infections—vitamin C (1 000 mg three times a day) zinc (30 to 60 mg a day) beta-carotene (15 000 IU a day).

Herbs

Herbs are generally a safe way to strengthen and tone the body's systems. As with any therapy it is important to work with your provider on getting your problem diagnosed before you start any treatment. Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules powders teas) glycerites (glycerine extracts) or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated teas should be made with 1 tsp. herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. Drink 2 to 4 cups per day.

Use a combination of the herbs listed below in equal parts. Use 1 tbsp. of dried herb per 1 cup water. Drink 4 to 6 cups per day. Or use equal parts of tincture and take 60 drops every two to four hours. These herbs promote sinus drainage relieve pain and strengthen your immune system.

• Wild indigo (Baptisia tinctoria)
• Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis)
• Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
• Coneflower (Echinacea)
• Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
• Jamaican dogwood (Piscidea piscipula) or St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) in equal parts may be added for pain relief
• Garlic (Allium sativum) and ginger (Zingiber officinalis) as a tea—use 2 to 3 cloves of garlic and 2 to 3 slices of fresh ginger steep 5 to 15 minutes and drink breathing in the steam.

Homeopathy

Some of the most common remedies used for sinus headache are listed below. Usually the dose is 12X to 30C every one to four hours until symptoms improve.

• Arsenicum album for sinusitis with thin watery irritating discharge especially when sneezing does not relieve nasal stuffiness
• Kali bichromium for sinusitis with post-nasal drip especially with ulcerations of the septum and weakness
• Mercurius for raw ulcerated nostrils with swelling may have bloody discharge and exhaustion
• Pulsatilla for sinusitis with thick bland discharges especially with weepiness a lack of thirst and wanting to be constantly comforted

Physical Medicine

You can also try other techniques to relieve pain from sinus headaches.

• Alternate hot and cold compresses. Place a hot compress across your sinuses for three minutes and then a cold compress for 30 seconds. Repeat this procedure three times for a single treatment two to six times a day.
• Try eucalyptus lavender rosemary or thyme essential oils in steam or in a hot bath. To inhale steam place 2 to 5 drops in a pot simmer and hold your head over the pot. For a bath close windows and doors and add 5 to 10 drops of oil to a full tub of hot water.
• Use a nasal rinse made with water and salt to taste like tears. Rinse each nostril and with your head over a sink hold your head sideways and let the water run from your upper nostril to your lower nostril. Keep your nostrils lower than your throat to prevent the salt water from draining into the back of your throat. This rinse shrinks your sinus membranes and increases drainage.

Acupuncture

May be useful to stimulate immune system and increase drainage.

Following Up

If you're taking medicines be sure you follow instructions.

Special Considerations

Do not use over-the-counter nasal sprays that contain phenylephrine for more than three days and do not use prescription nasal sprays for more than seven days. They can be addictive.

Supporting Research

Berkow R. The Merck Manual. 15th ed. Rahway NJ: Merck Sharp & Dohme Research Laboratories; 1987.

Gobel H Schmidt G Soyka D. Effect of Peppermint and Eucalyptus oil preparations on neurophysiological and experimental algesimetric headache parameters. Cephalalgia. 1994;14:228–234.

National Headache Foundation. Headache Topics: Sinus Headache. Accessed at www.headaches.org/sheets/sinus.html on January 30 1999.

Pryse-Phillips W: Guideline for the diagnosis and management of migraine in clinical practice Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) 1997 156:1273-87

University of Michigan Health System. Health Topics A to Z: Sinus Headaches. Accessed at www.med.umich.edu/1libr/topics/hdache08.htm on January 30 1999.

Walker L Brown E. The Alternative Pharmacy: Break the Drug Cycle With Safe Natural Treatment for 200 Everyday Ailments. Paramus NJ: Prentice Hall; 1998.

Copyright © 2000 Integrative Medicine Communications

The publisher does not accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the information or the consequences arising from the application use or misuse of any of the information contained herein including any injury and/or damage to any person or property as a matter of product liability negligence or otherwise. No warranty expressed or implied is made in regard to the contents of this material. No claims or endorsements are made for any drugs or compounds currently marketed or in investigative use. This material is not intended as a guide to self-medication. The reader is advised to discuss the information provided here with a doctor pharmacist nurse or other authorized healthcare practitioner and to check product information (including package inserts) regarding dosage precautions warnings interactions and contraindications before administering any drug herb or supplement discussed herein.