Besides pressure and pain in the forehead, cheeks and behind the eyes, a sinus headache may worsen if you bend forward or lie down. Such headaches may also be associated with a sore throat, fever, cough, fatigue or other cold-like symptoms. Several symptoms help distinguish a sinus headache from a migraine headache.
Sinusitis is nothing to sneeze at! You may already be familiar with the most common symptoms, like headaches, congestion, and pressure inside your sinus cavities, but sinus infections can also cause post-nasal drip — more often referred to as drainage — which may lead to nausea and even vomiting.
Some people develop a fever with a sinus infection. Other symptoms associated with fever include chills, exhaustion, and muscle aches.
Fatigue. As your body works hard to fight off the sinus infection, you'll feel more tired than usual. Fatigue can be also be caused by head pain, a lack of adequate sleep, and difficulty breathing due to sinusitis.
Your body uses up a lot of energy to fight off a sinus infection, and this can cause you to feel fatigued for the time you have it. Some of the other symptoms of the condition, such as dizziness and a cough, can also make you feel more and more tired with time.
If chronic sinusitis goes untreated for a length of time, it is possible the infection can spread to vital parts of your body, including to the bones, spinal fluid, and the brain. These complications, meningitis and brain abscesses, are life-threatening and require immediate emergency surgery.
How long does acute sinusitis last? Acute sinusitis lasts less than a month. Your symptoms may go away by themselves within about 10 days, but it may take up to three or four weeks.
Sinusitis is an inflammation of the tissues in your sinuses (spaces in your forehead, cheeks and nose usually filled with air). It causes facial pain, a stuffy or runny nose, and sometimes a fever and other symptoms.
See a doctor if you have: Severe symptoms, such as severe headache or facial pain. Symptoms that get worse after improving. Symptoms lasting more than 10 days without getting better.
An untreated sinus infection may cause ansomnia, a decrease, or a complete loss of smell. Inflammation and blockage of your sinus passageways or damage to your olfactory nerves cause ansomnia. In many cases, ansomnia is only temporary but can become permanent.
While sinus headaches are a part of sinus infections, sinus infections come with a host of other symptoms as well. These include fever and fatigue, postnasal drip and sore thought, coughing and nasal congestion, all in addition to the pain and pressure patients often feel from their forehead down to their neck.
Fatigue: Sinusitis patients typically feel tired and achy. Getting plenty of rest and drinking lots of fluids can help to combat this symptom and get you on the road to recovery more quickly.
Some people with infection may experience fevers, chills or night sweats — signs that the body is fighting a virus or bacteria. These are symptoms I expect as a primary care doctor especially during the spring seasons. They are the telltale signs of sinusitis.
How Does a Sinus Infection Cause Dizziness? The sinuses are air-filled spaces in the inner ear. When the sinuses are infected they become inflamed, which can lead to increased pressure on the inner ear. This area is responsible for one's balance and orientation, so when it's disrupted, dizziness can occur.
The combination of blockage and infection produces the typical symptoms of acute sinusitis — feelings of pressure and congestion in the face, headaches and fever. In severe cases, shaking chills may also be experienced when the infection spreads to the blood.
Serious complications of chronic sinusitis complications are rare, but may include: Vision problems. If your sinus infection spreads to your eye socket, it can cause reduced vision or possibly blindness that can be permanent.
Sinus headaches are a symptom of sinus infections, which cause pressure and pain in your face. Having a cold or allergies increases your risk of sinus infections and headaches. But so-called sinus headaches may actually be migraines with nasal symptoms. In that case, a doctor can help you find long-term relief.
Frequent contact with allergens or a prolonged cold or sinus infection can cause your turbinates to become irritated swell. Like with sinus infections, swelling of turbinates can result in sinus pressure, which in turn can lead to frequent sinus headaches.
Pain caused by pressure buildup in the sinus cavities may be relieved with acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).
When to see a doctor. Consult your provider if: Your headache symptoms occur more than 15 days a month or require frequent pain medicine available without a prescription.