Is it really a sinus headache?
Many patients confuse tension or TMJ (jaw tightness) headaches with sinus headaches because they feel pain across the forehead, behind the eyes or even across the cheeks. This can lead to a lot of frustration because they will be taking allergy medications, buying air filters or even giving away their pets without any improvements in their pain levels. That’s because the headache is coming from your muscles, joints and nerves — not from sinus pressure!
A common tip-off that your headache is being caused by tension or tight jaw muscles and not your sinuses is a lack of mucous production. If you are not noticing the urge to blow your nose, post-nasal drip, itchy eyes or itchy ears, it is not likely that you are having a sinus headache. Even though many sinus headaches are caused by inflammation and not from the mucous itself, you will still notice some of these other symptoms if you are having a sinus headache.
Another trademark sign that your headache is coming from muscle tension and not your sinuses is the presence of tight muscles and restricted range of motion in your neck, shoulder blades and/or jaw. Remember you are supposed to be able to turn your neck 85 degrees when you look over your shoulder (almost a 90 degree turn!). If you can’t do this, you likely have a tension headache. If you grind your teeth or have “clicking” when opening your jaw, that’s another sign that you have TMJ/jaw problems and that is a likely cause of headache pain.
If you are still unsure about the cause of your headaches or are sufferring from chronic pain, please don’t hesitate to ask us for help! We would be glad to help you sort out your symptoms and find a treatment that works.