A sinus is an open space in a bone or tissue. The maxillary sinuses lie on either side of the nose, the ethmoidal sinuses are between the nose and the eyes, the sphenoidal sinuses are in a bone behind the nose which is part of the base of the skull, and the frontal sinuses lie in the forehead just above the eyebrows. With chronic sinus problems they frequently feel full and stuffy. Occasionally the discomfort is related to a cold, but not always.
The pain is a dull aching kind of pain which intensifies if you bend over, or God forbid, cough or sneeze. I often awoke with that headache pain in the morning. I felt as if my head were inside a big bell, and I was very reluctant to move because I knew that would cause a sharp, reverberating pain as if a large clapper had struck the side of that bell.
I was quite surprised to read that many doctors believe those "sinus headaches" are actually migraines. I also suffered from migraines for many years, and they were quite different. How about you? I'd like to hear from some people who have sinus headaches. What do you think about their claim that these are actually migraines?
The doctors do admit that headache is a common symptom of acute sinusitis, which is an inflammation of the sinuses caused by an infection. Acute or chronic sinusitis blocks off a sinus cavity with congestion. Then the air within that sinus is absorbed and no air can get in to replace it. The result is negative pressure in the sinus when compared with the barometric pressure outside. The pressure and congestion cause the pain.
Traveling by airplane can escalate a cold or minor sinus problem into an acute sinus infection because of the air pressure changes, which is why you should take a decongestant before you fly if you have sinus problems and/or a cold. Scuba diving can also cause increased problems.
According to the National Headache Foundation, a fever usually accompanies a true sinus headache and most so-called sinus headaches are actually tension headaches or migraines. The Mayo Clinic newsletter asks if you use nasal spray and decongestants without relief. If so, they say, you probably have migraines rather than sinus problems.
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