What Is a Sinus Headache?

A sinus headache is pain that comes from a sinus infection. The sinuses are hollow spaces created by the bones in your face, which can fill with mucus when you are congested. If this collection of mucus gets trapped inside the sinuses, the resulting pain can feel like a headache. While people often think of bacteria when they hear about sinus infections, most of the time sinus infections are caused by viruses. 

Keep reading to learn more about what a sinus headache feels like, how to know if a headache is from a sinus infection, and how to treat it.

What does a sinus headache feel like?

Sinus headaches cause pressure-like pain in the forehead and the areas below the eyes. They happen at the same time as other symptoms of a sinus infection, including:

• Nasal drainage and congestion

• Fever or chills

• Change in smell

• Tooth or ear pain (the pressure in your sinuses is sometimes felt in these areas, even though this is not where the infection is actually located) 

How to know if you have a sinus headache

You can usually tell if you have a sinus headache based on your symptoms. If you have a sinus infection and a headache that started at about the same time, there is a good chance that it’s a sinus headache. And if you are evaluated by a healthcare provider, they will likely come to the same conclusion, based on the quality and timing of your symptoms. 

If the cause of your symptoms is less clear, some other diagnostic tests may help:

• A CT scan: This is a 3-dimensional X-ray of the head or face. It will not only show a sinus infection but can check for other causes of your headache as well, if the initial diagnosis is unclear. 

• Nasal endoscopy: This is a procedure performed by a healthcare provider (typically an ear, nose, and throat specialist), who uses a small camera to look into the sinuses. This inspection can show signs of infection and can also look for any structural problems, like nasal polyps, which could be causing the sinus infection in the first place.

What else could be causing my headache?

Sinus headaches happen at the same time as a sinus infection. If a headache doesn’t start with a sinus infection, or isn’t going away as the sinus infection improves, it may be helpful to think about other types of headaches, such as:

• Tension headaches: These are a common type of headache that also cause a pressure-like pain across the forehead. These are often caused by muscle tension in the facial and neck muscles. 

• Migraines: These headaches often cause a throbbing-like pain on one side of the head. It’s common for people to have migraines when they have sinus infections as well, which can make it hard to know which type of headache it is. 

• Cluster headaches: These are a less common type of headache that start suddenly and usually cause a sharp pain around one of the eyes.

Don’t hesitate to see a healthcare provider for severe headaches or headaches that aren’t going away, if you aren’t sure what’s causing them.

How to get rid of a sinus headache

The best way to treat a sinus headache is to help get rid of the mucus in the sinuses. Most sinus infections are caused by viruses that will go away on their own. However, there are some things you can do to help with the symptoms while waiting, like:

• Placing a warm compress, like a towel soaked in warm water, over the painful area

• Using saline nasal sprays, which keep the inner part of the nose moist 

• Breathing humidified air, which can also help keep the nasal passages moistened

• Taking decongestants, like pseudoephedrine or fluticasone (Flonase), that help treat nasal secretions and congestion

• Taking over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin)

People often wonder if they need an antibiotic for a sinus infection. Most of the time the infection is caused by a virus, so antibiotics won’t help and, even worse, could put you at risk of side effects, like allergic reactions or more severe, antibiotic-resistant infections. 

It can be challenging to figure out if a sinus infection is from bacteria. Usually, infections that last over 10 days, or have symptoms that start to worsen after initially getting better, might be caused by bacteria. Some of the symptoms of a bacterial infection are:

• Severe pain or pressure

• Fevers

• Discolored nasal discharge

While these symptoms don’t always mean there’s a bacterial infection, they are a sign that you might need an antibiotic. Your healthcare provider might recommend a wait-and-see approach, in which they will prescribe an antibiotic but suggest you wait a few days before you start taking it to see if the sinus infection starts to get better on its own. 

Can sinus headaches be prevented?

To prevent sinus headaches, you can take steps to decrease the chance you will develop a sinus infection. These include:

• Treating seasonal allergies with antihistamines or nasal sprays.

• Treating nasal polyps. These can cause blockages that can lead to sinus infections. Polyps can be treated with corticosteroid nasal sprays like Flonase. Sometimes they need to be surgically removed if they aren’t getting better with nasal sprays.

• Cutting back or quitting smoking. Avoiding cigarette smoke can help prevent sinus infections.

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Written by:

Michael Dreis, MD

Dr. Dreis is an emergency medicine physician currently practicing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went to medical school at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan.

Edited by:

Katie E. Golden, MD

Katie E. Golden, MD, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a medical editor at GoodRx.

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