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Thread: Sinus headaches

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Back in Vegas... again.

    Sinus headaches

    I've been getting intermittent sinus headaches over the past few months. I get migraines, though I haven't had one for a little while, so I'm not sure how related they are. There is congestion in my sinus area associated with the headaches, though it's not necessarily as if my nose is running or I'm sneezing or blowing my nose or sniffling all the time.

    Is it stress? Maybe but I'm not convinced. There is definitely a nasty cold going around, so it could be that at the moment. Allergies? Maybe. I'm not sure of the origins right now. All I know is that it hurts. My nose hurts. My eyes hurt. My forehead hurts. My temples hurt. My sinuses hurt.

    What I'm looking for is a way to just feel better when I get a sinus headache. I usually take 1-2 ibuprofen and a sudafed (the real stuff- pseudophedrine- not the fake OTC garbage that doesn't work- phenylsomethingorother). Sometimes I throw an Excedrin in for good measure if it's really bad. (FYI, this is also what I take for my migraines... works better than the prescription that I got a while back.)

    Anyway, it's just annoying. Does my remedy make sense? I know there are some docs/pharmacists on the board, so if you can recommend something else or maybe a natural/herbal remedy that I could try... I know, I know... diagnosing on a board... but if anyone out there is a fellow sufferer, how do you cope?

    TIA,
    Sue

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by sue71 View Post
    I've been getting intermittent sinus headaches over the past few months. I get migraines, though I haven't had one for a little while, so I'm not sure how related they are.
    That's what happens when you eat your steaks well done....

    Just kidding. Hope you don't get anymore of those nasty things.
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
    9F 9F 9F
    https://ecogreen.greentechaffiliate.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Back in Vegas... again.
    Quote Originally Posted by OZZIE4DUKE View Post
    That's what happens when you eat your steaks well done....

    Just kidding. Hope you don't get anymore of those nasty things.
    Thanks.

    And how sad... I can't remember the last time I had a steak.

    My cheeks now hurt too.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Seattle, WA
    Quote Originally Posted by sue71 View Post
    Thanks.

    And how sad... I can't remember the last time I had a steak.

    My cheeks now hurt too.
    If your cheeks hurt, your sinus problem may be a low-grade infection. As gross as it sounds, go to your local pharmacy, and get some nasal saline solution, and flush them out - a couple times a day for a few days. (I prefer this method to general antibiotics, and lately, so do more Drs, it seems.) Also, drink plenty of fluids!

    Hope you feel better.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    New Bern, NC unless it's a home football game then I'm grilling on Devil's Alley
    And chow down on vitamin C. I hate sinus headaches, they feel like my cheekbones are going to blow out.
    You know what I do when I get a bad one? Get sushi, and lay on the wasabi. That stuff will clear your passages, guaranteed.

    And remember, it looks like a booger but itsnot.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Meeting with Marie Laveau
    Quote Originally Posted by DevilAlumna View Post
    If your cheeks hurt, your sinus problem may be a low-grade infection. As gross as it sounds, go to your local pharmacy, and get some nasal saline solution, and flush them out - a couple times a day for a few days. (I prefer this method to general antibiotics, and lately, so do more Drs, it seems.) Also, drink plenty of fluids!

    Hope you feel better.
    Sinus irrigation is very effective for a maintaining healthy sinuses. The process can be accomplished with the saline spray in a bottle, but for those who have serious recurring sinus problems, the spray bottle may no be enough. Walgreens offers a kit made by Ocean for this very task. Priced around $15, its less expensive than a prescription and doesn't have the side effects.
    http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...id=prod3725742

  7. #7
    I get sinus problems from time to time, especially when the weather changes. NyQuil helps a lot. As with the Sudafed, make sure it's the stuff with PE in it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Raleigh NC
    Eat a Jalapeno based meal. Or Hot Wings (I mean H-O-T) and that'll help, though ma be temporary (for a day or so).
    Try to dribble a few drops of hot sauce on them steaks too! That'll help.

    Another idea, try garlic! Loads of garlic.

    I tried the nasal wash thing, it' is awesome! Weird feeling at first for sure, but it is fun and made me laugh!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY

    Smile Don't dismiss the stress thing

    Been there, done that, Sue.

    I don't dismiss the previous strategies & suggestions. As for causes, if your sleep is being disrupted because of work stress, I would think there's a strong relationship with your sinus & migraine headaches. It seemed that way when I was going through work stress.

    It also took me a while to realize what I thought was a migraine was actually a sinus headache. Once that happened, I started treating the issue much more effectively. I still get migraines, but not nearly as often as I thought. I get 'em maybe twice a year max; the sinus headaches occur slightly more regularly, and I can tell what triggers them.

    Sleep does wonders!!

    Cheers,
    Lavabe

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Back in Vegas... again.
    Quote Originally Posted by Lavabe View Post
    Been there, done that, Sue.

    I don't dismiss the previous strategies & suggestions. As for causes, if your sleep is being disrupted because of work stress, I would think there's a strong relationship with your sinus & migraine headaches. It seemed that way when I was going through work stress.

    It also took me a while to realize what I thought was a migraine was actually a sinus headache. Once that happened, I started treating the issue much more effectively. I still get migraines, but not nearly as often as I thought. I get 'em maybe twice a year max; the sinus headaches occur slightly more regularly, and I can tell what triggers them.

    Sleep does wonders!!

    Cheers,
    Lavabe

    First, thanks to all for the suggestions! The pharmacy is around the corner so I'll see what sort of nasal remedies they have there.

    My migraines are usually quite different from my sinus headaches. Not 100% sure of a correlation, but very few of them have turned into migraines. They're still awful, though.

    Is my sleep being interrupted? Yep. These days it's around 4am. Quite fun as I can't seem to fall back asleep until 6am, then I have to get up in an hour anyway.

    I have a hunch this particular headache (which still hasn't gone away) is either a cold or allergies... my throat is starting to close up and my jaw is becoming sore (seems to happen when I have sinus issues- my whole face is painful).

    Tonight & tomorrow should be fun... I have to work both. And tomorrow is outside in what is supposed to be So Cal rain.

    Wish me luck!

  11. #11
    Ask your doc for a steroid nasal inhaler. It will dry up the sinus drip and decrease the swelling in your sinuses that is likely causing the headache.
    It's a fine mist that goes up your nose, may make you sneeze like crazy for a minute or so, but then you'll notice a big improvement.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by sue71 View Post

    My migraines are usually quite different from my sinus headaches. Not 100% sure of a correlation, but very few of them have turned into migraines. They're still awful, though.

    Is my sleep being interrupted? Yep. These days it's around 4am. Quite fun as I can't seem to fall back asleep until 6am, then I have to get up in an hour anyway.

    I have a hunch this particular headache (which still hasn't gone away) is either a cold or allergies... my throat is starting to close up and my jaw is becoming sore (seems to happen when I have sinus issues- my whole face is painful).

    Tonight & tomorrow should be fun... I have to work both. And tomorrow is outside in what is supposed to be So Cal rain.

    Wish me luck!
    I'm not sure where I stand on this, but a lot of doctor's attribute most sinus headaches to migraine as opposed to sinus infection. Alot of migraine triggers (sulfates, nitrates, etc) produce congestion as well as headache, and the pain can feel like its localized to the sinus. If the 'sinus' headaches are on one side (unilateral) and almost always the same side, there is a high likelihood it is migraine. Another type of headache is the 'cluster' headache, because they come in bunches (one or more a day for a few weeks, followed by months pain free)... These are often mistaken as being due to sinus infection. After 20 years, I finally stopped blaming my sinuses for my headaches, although I do get relief from Sudafed (the real stuff, that contains pseudoephedrine... Sudafed PE contains Phenylephrine, which when taken orally is no more effective than a placebo)

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Back in Vegas... again.
    Quote Originally Posted by g_olaf View Post
    although I do get relief from Sudafed (the real stuff, that contains pseudoephedrine... Sudafed PE contains Phenylephrine, which when taken orally is no more effective than a placebo)
    Really, that PE stuff should be pulled off the market. It's a red sugar pill with no effect.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Emerald Isle, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by Devil in the Blue Dress View Post
    Sinus irrigation is very effective for a maintaining healthy sinuses. The process can be accomplished with the saline spray in a bottle, but for those who have serious recurring sinus problems, the spray bottle may no be enough. Walgreens offers a kit made by Ocean for this very task. Priced around $15, its less expensive than a prescription and doesn't have the side effects.
    http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...id=prod3725742
    What she said. Seriously, I advise my patients to use 1/2 teaspoon table salt with one cup warm water then snort away. It's kind of gross, but very, very effective. I start at the first sign of a sinus headache or cold.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau
    Quote Originally Posted by DukePA View Post
    What she said. Seriously, I advise my patients to use 1/2 teaspoon table salt with one cup warm water then snort away. It's kind of gross, but very, very effective. I start at the first sign of a sinus headache or cold.
    There's an old product called Alcolol which is the saline solution already mixed, a very inexpensive product. My local Walgreens will order it for me. I usually keep a bottle or two on hand. There is a little tube that looks almost like a bubble pipe and that you put the solution in and use to irrigate the nasal passages. The cost is low; the results better than with most prescription drugs and there's no side effect.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Lexington, KY

    Red face The PE stuff works fine here

    Quote Originally Posted by g_olaf View Post
    I'm not sure where I stand on this, but a lot of doctor's attribute most sinus headaches to migraine as opposed to sinus infection. Alot of migraine triggers (sulfates, nitrates, etc) produce congestion as well as headache, and the pain can feel like its localized to the sinus. If the 'sinus' headaches are on one side (unilateral) and almost always the same side, there is a high likelihood it is migraine. Another type of headache is the 'cluster' headache, because they come in bunches (one or more a day for a few weeks, followed by months pain free)... These are often mistaken as being due to sinus infection. After 20 years, I finally stopped blaming my sinuses for my headaches, although I do get relief from Sudafed (the real stuff, that contains pseudoephedrine... Sudafed PE contains Phenylephrine, which when taken orally is no more effective than a placebo)
    With all due respect, these sinus headaches that I get do have mild pain on one side, but they are not the same in intensity, and lack the aura and many of the other effects I get with migraine. They also have no relationship to the light sensitivity that seems associated with the migraine. The biggest difference is that my migraines, when they hit, give me the inability to focus my eyes. At that point, I go to a dark room, and go to sleep. A cool pack helps. When they're done, I feel as though someone punched me but good. Excedrin Migraine works well with me... this is the one time that I load up on caffeine.

    My most recent sinus headache was last night, brought on by some lack of sleep, some home stress, a little too much head banging from listening to Palin (see the Roger Waters discussion/references of mine in the PPB VP debate party thread), and most importantly, change in season humidity. Sinus medication usually helps me here. These headaches usually occur sometime in the fall and spring, but rarely during other seasons. I have none of the eye issues, after effects, or any issues like the first type. If you want to call it a mini-migraine because of only its location, fine, but to me it's a different animal altogether.

    Cheers,
    Lavabe

  17. #17
    I'm battling a head cold and have been using Zicam extreme congestion relief no-drip liquid nasal gel, and have had great success. I am prone to sinus issues and this is the first over the counter or prescription drug that I has given me relief.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greenville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by sue71 View Post
    I have a hunch this particular headache (which still hasn't gone away) is either a cold or allergies... my throat is starting to close up and my jaw is becoming sore (seems to happen when I have sinus issues- my whole face is painful).
    If you think this headache might be caused by allergies, have you recently changed laundry detergent? If you're lying on a pillow for 6 to 8 hours every night, you might want to launder your pillow case in a hypoallergenic laundry detergent. Also, what kind of shampoo/hairspray/hair gel are you using? It could be getting on the pillow and you could be inhaling your allergens all night.

    Have you vacuumed the dust bunnies from beneath and behind your bed? You could be breathing in all kinds of icky stuff at night while you sleep.

    Also, gross as this sounds, you want to change your pillow every year. My Ex-Lax was so attached to his old pillow and when I finally showed it to him in the light of day, he was convinced that his smelly drooled-upon pillow was causing most of his sleep problems. So, he got rid of the pillow. (And he got rid of me, too.)

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Lavabe View Post
    These headaches usually occur sometime in the fall and spring, but rarely during other seasons. I have none of the eye issues, after effects, or any issues like the first type. If you want to call it a mini-migraine because of only its location, fine, but to me it's a different animal altogether.

    Cheers,
    Lavabe
    Sorry, I wasn't trying to diagnose you. I was just recounting my own experiences.

    Mine are also seasonal (now down to one period per year, for me its spring, used to be spring and fall). Unilateral, but not the same as the prototypical migraine headache (which fortunately, I've only had a couple)... ie. no aura. During this period, I become extremely sensitive to alcohol -- in March, a single glass of wine will trigger a headache, while during the rest of the year I can drink bottles with no ill effects. My headaches are also (almost) always in the evening / night. They are accompanied with congestion, but interestingly, I started to notice that the headache actually came first!?

    At the time I spoke to a headache researcher about it, I was convinced this was due to sinus infection. She immediately dismissed it as migraine. I reacted the same as you: I've had a migraine... this isn't migraine. Since that time, I've become convinced that it is something more related to 'cluster headaches', although I the vast majority of my headaches are not as painful as what many cluster headache sufferers describe, and my frequency is never more than one per day .

    Anyway, I have no idea what is going on inside your head or your sinuses. However, I felt it valuable to point out that headache specialists consider that the majority (~90%) of 'sinus headaches' are really migraine, and that the referral of pain to the sinus is due to hyperactivity of the trigeminal nerve that innervates the face.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Back in Vegas... again.
    Quote Originally Posted by g_olaf View Post
    My headaches are also (almost) always in the evening / night. They are accompanied with congestion, but interestingly, I started to notice that the headache actually came first!?
    I'm wondering about that... can the headache cause the sinus congestion or is it only that the congestion can cause the headache?

    (Is this the sinus/headache version of the chicken or the egg?)

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