Severe Sinus Pain Attacks= Migraines?

[SoyaSauce]

I on a blue moon, get bad sinus attacks, where my head gets full of pressure, my neck hurts and my front checks and forehead, as well as the front of my eyebrows and my front head really hurt .

I don't get nausea or vertigo, but I get a sensitive to light and espically noise. I get so tried I often have to go lay down for a bit and rest, I just can't do anything.


Next time this happens, I am going to try an Excedrin, instead of the usual Suddafed, whitch helps a little, but don't really get to the symptoms.

Do these mimic migraines or are they just serve sinus headaches? I don't have any type or drainage, or infection flare up that going on, its just inflammation and pressure.

Input please CFers, thanks~!~!

 

[Bailey Vincent]

I have the same thing lately! I think it's sinus related, but also flares up when I don't get enough sleep (which is... well, all of the time). Yeah, it's miserable

 

[sdeuber]

check with a ENT if you have any polyps growing in your sinuses - these caused for me migraine like attacks. once removed I was ok again.

 

[LittleLab4CF]

I used to have both types of headaches. They do a very good job of mimicry and certainly one can cause or exacerbate the other. The cause may be different or the same and in effect they are both considered vascular headaches so the immediate method for pain relief is the same generally.

A classic migraine headache is caused by a sudden change in the wall tension of your blood vessels, especially those on the neck, head and face. The congested tissue in the sinuses is very painful because they are lined with highly vascularized tissue constrained by bone all around. A migraine can cause a sinus headache and visa-versa.

Toughing out a “sinus headache” could become a bad habit. Many of us have done it only to find ourselves on the table having our sinuses and such rebuilt from the scarring and deforms caused by ignored infections. If this is occasional, I agree that seeing an ENT, when you are sick or around then is a great idea. Suffering is suffering, if this can be prevented or mitigated, why not?

Comparing a sinus headache with a migraine, for me at least, is a little like comparing a kidney stone from my right or left side. It is easy to experience a 10/10 with either, why we endure them is a mystery. To resolve the pain of either headache fairly quickly I was prescribed Imitrex. This was before the oral and nasal forms of the drug so mine went just under the skin. I have often wondered if the nasal delivery was particularly helpful in reducing facial migraine pain from the sinuses and such. It might be a question to explore with your doctor.

If you want a fun and enjoyable treatment for either vascular headache, go buy yourself a large Mocha with an extra shot of espresso. I got that one from a headache specialist, it works nearly every time for me but not everybody I have passed this on to has had the same quality of relief.

Sorry you’re suffering,

LL