Sinus headaches are often confused with other types of pain like migraines and tension headaches. However, the difference between these various causes of discomfort can make the difference in finding the most effective treatment that will bring about the quickest relief. For this reason, it is important to distinguish between the various types of headache pain, so that your treatment will target the exact cause the best. For example, migraines are often best treated with certain prescription medications, or lying down in a dark room with a cool compress over the forehead. Tension headaches can usually be relieved with over the counter medications and de-stressing activities like a warm bath or a massage. Sinus headaches need to also be treated at the core of the problem, which, in this case, is congested and possibly infected sinus cavities.

What Characterizes a Sinus Headache?

Sinus headaches are generally accompanied by pain in the face, especially in your cheeks or forehead area. The pain may get more intense when you bend forward or lie down. Keep in mind that some migraines may also include facial pain that gets worse with bending over, so these symptoms are not the only telltale sign of a sinus headache. The pain of these headaches can also come with a yellow-green discharge from the nose, mild fever, a sore throat and cough, and fatigue. In this case, you may not only be suffering from a sinus headache, but a sinus infection to boot. This problem will require a trip to your doctor for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. If you do not see an indication of any of these symptoms, but you have had a cold or allergy issues, you can try taking an over the counter decongestant to see if it brings relief to your symptoms. If it does, you probably were having a sinus headache without the infection.

Treatment of an Infection

If you decide to visit your doctor for treatment of your sinus headaches, he will first do an exam to determine if your sinus passages are indeed infected. This might include asking you about current illnesses, checking your sinus areas for pain and tenderness, and using an endoscope to look at your nasal passages. If your doctor determines that your sinus headache is indeed caused by an infection, he will probably give you a prescription for an antibiotic to clear it up. It is important that you finish every dose of your medication, even though your sinus headache and other symptoms may clear up within a day or two. To treat the pain until the antibiotics bring relief, you can use over the counter pain medications, decongestants and nasal sprays.