Sinus Headaches

I have posted about this before, but since it is such an important piece of information I would like to bring it top of mind again. There is almost no such thing as a sinus headache. Chronic sinusitis is not usually a painful condition. While sinus pain is often associated with acute sinusitis, there is almost always an associated upper respiratory infection and yellow nasal discharge.

However, what people typically refer to as sinus headaches are usually just a different form of headache, often referred from tight muscles and trigger points in the neck. They do not need antibiotics or oral or nasal steroids. They do not resolve with sinus surgery. Going to the source of the problem and treating the tight neck muscles with massage, chiropractic or osteopathic treatment, or acupuncture will often resolve the problem with no medication.

If the headaches occur more than 4 times a month, then a headache prevention nutritional supplement protocol can be a good idea. These include vitamin B2, vitamin D3, fish oil, magnesium and the herb butterbur which is sold as Petadolex. Research has shown that nutritional supplements are as effective as any prescription medications that are used for headache prevention (Utterback, et. al. & Namazi, et. al.). See your integrative practitioner for your specific needs and dosages.