• Signs of a sinus headache often include fever, swelling and pain around the face.
• Sinus headaches are often mistaken for migraines, but they are actually caused by the symptoms of sinus pain.
• Balloon sinuplasty is a highly successful procedure that is used to treat chronic sinusitis.
As new treatments become available for patients of chronic sinusitis, patients are breathing a sigh of relief. Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers is reminding patients that balloon sinuplasty is one option for chronic sinusitis.
"Sinus headaches are just headaches," Blair told Florida Business Daily. "We treat those the same ways we treat the sinus conditions, whether it's with medications or in-office procedures."
An allergic reaction or an infection can cause sinuses to become inflamed and swell, causing them to produce more mucus and preventing them from draining properly. According to WebMD, sinus infections can cause headache-like pain in the cheekbones, forehead or bridge of the nose. Symptoms include swelling in the face, a feeling of fullness in the ears, fever and persistent pain. It is possible to confuse sinus headaches with migraines or tension headaches.
According to the American Migraine Foundation, despite sinus headaches and migraines sharing some symptoms, migraines are characterized by nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light, noise or smells.
According to WebMD, sinusitis patients have several surgical treatment options, including endoscopy and balloon sinuplasty. Balloon sinuplasty is a newer procedure that does not require any cutting or anything removed from the sinuses. A thin tube is attached to a small balloon, which the doctor inserts into the nose. Once the balloon has been inflated, the doctor guides it to the blocked area inside the sinuses. Congestion is relieved by allowing the sinuses to drain properly through the balloon.
If you're experiencing sinus headaches or chronic sinusitis, please take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz provided by Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.