By Dyan Pascal
Posted: June 06, 2011
You have a steady, dull headache above the right eye, and you've had it for what seems like days, without relief. You wish it would go away, but your regular headache medicine doesn't help that much. What can you do about it? Millions of people are affected by sinus headaches, sometimes as a regular occurrence. Although they can be quite painful, treatment is available. And the sooner the condition is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat it.
Diagnosis is not always easy, since sinus headaches are often confused with migraines. Even experienced doctors can sometimes be wrong, if they are in a hurry and you are not careful in describing your headache symptoms.
The sinus cavity, located behind the nose, and extending over the eyes and behind the cheeks, can be affected by allergies. Sinus headaches are caused by increasing pressure in the sinus cavity, which in turn causes a headache above eyes, or behind nose or cheeks.
When in the throes of a sinus headache, anything that increases pressure in the sinuses will cause an increase in the pain. For example, leaning forward or bending over causes the mucus in the cavity to shift - ouch! Blowing the nose or sneezing will also be painful. Unfortunately these are common occurrences, due to the allergy which might have caused the headache to begin with.
More serious sinus headache symptoms include fever, bloody nose, and/or blurred vision. All symptoms are exacerbated by infection, which can happen quite easily in the fertile breeding ground of the sinuses.
Medications that are effective in the treatment of sinus headaches include decongestants and nasal sprays, which are used to clear the sinus cavity. You can also use antihistamines to combat any possible infection. Use these remedies as soon as you possibly can, in order to prevent further inflammation of the sinuses.
Over the counter medications are usually sufficient to control a sinus headache, as well as to clear out the mucus causing the swelling. In fact, if a cold or allergy is treated properly at its onset, headaches may be avoided altogether.
If there is any indication of infection, such as increased pain, blurred vision, or swelling, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. A physician can prescribe antibiotics that are not available over the counter.
To find out more about how to distinguish between sinus and migraine headaches, see Migraine vs Sinus Headaches. Or visit Headaches17.info.
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