Sinus Headache Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

A sinus headache is a rare side effect of sinusitis (a sinus infection).

Sinus headache symptoms may include pain, congestion, and pressure around your nose, cheeks, and forehead. The pain is steady, and it can last for hours.

A sinus infection headache can affect you at any age.

People with allergies are more at risk. Sinus headaches often appear in spring and fall — peak allergy season.

UPMC's world-class neurologists have certified training in the subspecialty of headache medicine. We have the expertise you need to get the proper headache diagnosis and treatment.

On this page:

• Sinus headache causes.
• Sinus headache symptoms and diagnosis.
• Sinus headache treatments.

What Is a Sinus Headache?

A sinus or congestion headache is the pain and pressure you feel with a sinus infection.

Sinuses are the air-filled pockets on the sides of your nose and forehead. In the U.S., sinus infection affects 31 million people.

With your sinus pressure headache, you may:

• Get a fever.
• Have a runny nose.
• See yellow, green, or even pink (bloody) fluid from your nose. This often means something is blocking your sinuses.

Your headache should go away when the infection gets better.

Sinus headaches often get misdiagnosed. Many people think they have a sinus headache but learn it's a form of a migraine, cluster, or tension headache.

What causes sinus headaches?

Sinus headaches causes include a sinus infection.

Fluid usually moves out of the sinuses through tubes called "ducts." But fluid can't drain well when mucus or swelling blocks these ducts.

When the fluid builds up, germs can grow. Most sinus infections are viral, but bacteria can also be the culprit.

Doctors may misdiagnose other types of headaches as sinus headaches.

That's because migraine, cluster, and tension headaches can cause nasal symptoms, including:

• Runny nose.
• Congestion.
• Teary or red eyes.
• Swollen eyelids.
• Pain in cheeks, forehead, and around eyes.

What are sinus headache risk factors and complications?

Sinus headache risk factors

Other health issues can cause ear fullness, blocked sinuses, inflammation, and facial swelling.

Health problems that may put you at risk of getting a sinus infection include:

• Allergies.
• Colds.
• Tumor.
• Weak immune system.
• Nasal polyps (growths on the nose lining).
• A deviated septum (when the wall between your nasal passages is off center).

Complications of sinus headaches

If left untreated, a sinus infection can get serious.

In rare cases, it can spread to the brain and lead to death.

Can I prevent sinus headaches?

You can help reduce your risk of sinus infections by:

• Washing your hands.
• Using a clean humidifier at home.
• Not smoking.
• Avoiding secondhand smoke.
• Getting the flu and pneumococcal vaccines.
• Keeping a set sleep schedule.
• Drinking plenty of water.

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Sinus Headache Symptoms and Diagnosis

What are the signs and symptoms of sinus headaches?

Your sinus headache symptoms may include:

• Facial pain or pressure.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Mucus dripping down the throat.
• Bad breath.
• Sore throat.
• Cough.
• Fever.
• Green or yellow nasal discharge.

How do you diagnose sinus headaches?

If the idea of a sinus migraine confuses you, we understand. Sinus headaches can be tricky to diagnose. Sinus headache symptoms are also symptoms of migraine and tension headaches.

A real sinus headache is rare, and a sinus infection causes it. The headache comes after the infection. When you treat the sinus infection, the headache goes away.

See a doctor to diagnose a sinus headache. Some people self-diagnose sinus headaches incorrectly.

A doctor will do an exam and possibly imaging scans to check for blockages in your sinuses.

Sinus pain without the discolored discharge is usually not a sinus infection. If antibiotics aren't helping, it's probably a migraine or a tension headache.

If light bothers you, your head's pounding, and you feel nauseous, it's likely a migraine headache with sinus symptoms.

Tension headaches are another common type of headache. You can get them when you tighten your jaw, face, neck, and scalp muscles.

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What Are the Treatment Options for Sinus Headaches?

If you have a sinus headache, home remedies help relieve the pressure.

These include:

• Using a decongestant or saline nasal spray.
• Placing a warm washcloth on your forehead.
• Breathing in steam from your shower or a bowl of hot water.

If your headache is because of sinusitis or a sinus infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to clear the bacteria. If an ear, nose, and throat doctor needs to see you, your doctor will refer you.

You don't always need antibiotics for a sinus infection. Your doctor may wait a few days before prescribing antibiotics to see if the infection is viral and clears up.

For symptom relief, treatment for sinus headaches may include:

• Decongestants.
• Pain relievers.
• Nasal vasoconstrictors (medicine that narrows blood vessels).
• If you have bad allergies, allergy medicine.
• Local corticosteroid nasal sprays can reduce swelling.

At the UPMC Headache Center, our doctors offer the newest drugs and advanced treatments to stop and prevent headache pain.

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