NW Riverside News

A relatively new, minimally invasive, in-office procedure is relieving sinus headaches in chronic sinusitis patients.

Because there are numerous ways to treat sinus conditions and sinus headaches with over-the-counter medications, it can be hard to know where to start and when to see a doctor. If headaches are happening more than 15 days per month and over-the-counter medicines are used frequently but help little, it could be time to see a doctor, according to Mayo Clinic.

"Sinus headaches are essentially caused by a buildup of inflammation and pressure within the sinus cavities themselves, and this is because the openings are extremely narrow, so you have structural deficits, causing things to build up in the sinuses," Dr. Matt Hershcovitch of SoCal Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told NW Riverside News. "And in addition to the narrow openings, you have a lot of inflammation in the sinus cavity and around the openings, causing them to stay shut. The bacteria then builds up in the sinuses, and they often secrete gases that increase the pressure within that closed cavity that's going to create a significant, very annoying, very painful headache."

According to Mayo Clinic, sinus headaches are associated with pain and pressure in the face and sinuses and can cause symptoms such as inflammation, nasal congestion, pain, pressure and fullness in your cheeks, brow or forehead. You may experience worsening pain if you bend forward or lie down, as well as stuffy nose, fatigue and an achy feeling in your upper teeth.

"Sinus headaches and pressure can trigger migraines," Hershcovitch said. "Migraines, as people know, have multiple triggers: sometimes food, sometimes stress, sometimes medication, etc., but sinus problems are also a big trigger of migraines. Many of my migraine sufferers who have chronic sinusitis often see significant improvements in their migraines when their sinus problems are dealt with. Their migraines become less frequent and less severe, and this all makes sense if you take away one of the major triggers to migraines. So a lot of people who just thought they had migraines are actually having sinus problems that have been triggering it all along."

It could be hard to breathe through your nose if you have acute sinusitis, according to Mayo Clinic. The area around your eyes and face might feel swollen, and you might feel maxillary sinus pain and have throbbing facial pain or headaches. Acute sinusitis is sinusitis that resolves on its own or when symptoms do not last longer than 12 weeks.

You could try home remedies for sinus headaches, and when all options have been exhausted, there is a relatively new procedure available called balloon sinuplasty. During this minimally invasive procedure, a tiny balloon is inserted into the blocked sinus cavity to open the sinus passages, allowing them to drain. During the procedure, the sinuses can be irrigated as well.

A 2008 study of 65 patients by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation concluded that 85% of patients reported an improvement in their sinus symptoms two years after having a balloon sinuplasty. The study was done at 6 months, one year and two years after the procedure. X-ray evidence proves sinus disease remission after two years.

If you are seeking treatment or diagnosis for sinus headaches, you are encouraged to take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.