Balloon sinuplasty is a possible solution for chronic sinus headaches. | Peggy_Marco on Pixabay
Balloon sinuplasty is a possible solution for chronic sinus headaches. | Peggy_Marco on Pixabay
A relatively new procedure can significantly improve a sinus sufferer's quality of life by eliminating sinus headaches.
With many ways to treat your 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 take place 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 just headaches," Dr. Matthew Blair of Gulf Coast Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Pensacola Times. "It's kind of like facial pain that comes from, usually ethmoid or frontal sinus disease. And we treat those the same ways we treat the sinus conditions, whether it's with medications or in-office procedures."
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 also experience worsening pain if you bend forward or lie down, as well as stuffy nose, fatigue and an achy feeling in your upper teeth.
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 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 called balloon sinuplasty. During this minimally invasive procedure, a tiny balloon is inserted into the blocked sinus cavity to open 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.
Those who are interested in diagnosis for sinus headache or other sinus issues can take this Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz.
Alerts Sign-up