Sinus Headache Treatment

A sinus headache is thought to occur due to respiratory infections such as an allergy (e.g. hay fever) or a cold. This can result in headache and migraine-like pain, due to the infection within the sinus.

During an allergic reaction, such as inhaling an allergen the sinus nasal cavity will sense a threat due to the presence of a foreign body. This threat is registered by the trigeminal nerve, which then transmits the information anteriorly to the superior salivatory nucleus. The body response is to fill the sinus and nasal cavity with excess mucus, creating dripping out of the nose, or digested by swallowing. This gives the sensation of a blocked nose, headaches and migraines associated with acute sinusitis or chronic sinusitis.

One of the common causes of sinus headache is having a dysfunction in the neck. In this case, an overactive and sensitive trigeminal nerve will lead to a sensitised brainstem. What would normally be a normal response to allergen now results in immediate allergies and frequent headaches from a sensitised brainstem.

For example, when a non-allergic dust particle enters the nose and sinus, the body now registers this as a threat, due to a sensitive and heightened trigeminal nerve. The sensitised trigeminal nerve then transmits information to the superior salivatory nucleus to secrete excess mucus in the sinus and nose. This may lead to an infection to occur as there is an excess amount of mucus for bacteria to breed in. Once the infection occurs, migraines and headaches will usually follow, resulting in sinus headaches.