A stuffy nose, or nasal congestion, is a common condition causing swollen and inflamed nasal passages. It can cause headaches and sinus pressure, as congestion affects the nasal cavities and cranial areas. Understanding the causes and remedies for both symptoms is crucial.

Let’s discuss the linkage between congestion that could cause headaches.

Why Headaches Might be Triggered by Congestion?

Sinusitis, or sinus congestion and inflammation, can result in sinus headaches. In turn, allergies like hay fever or respiratory illnesses like the flu or cold lead to sinusitis.

Sinuses are vital for mucus drainage and air circulation, but inflamed sinuses block them, allowing bacteria, viruses, and fungi to thrive. Sinusitis can result from obstructions.

Possible Indications of a Headache with a Stuffy Nose

The following signs are often present with sinus headaches:

• A pressure-like pain in a single location on your head or face (for instance, behind your eyes).
• Touching the face feels kind.
• Sudden head movements and bending forward make the pain worse.
• Mucus accumulates and drains at night, making the pain worse in the morning.
• Pain is made worse by abrupt temperature changes, such as leaving a warm environment and entering a chilly one.
• Headaches frequently begin during or shortly after a harsh cold.
• Runny nose.

There may be additional uncommon symptoms connected to a sinus infection, which are:

• Fever.
• Tiredness / Fatigue.
• Pain in upper teeth.
• Low to high fever.
• Pharyngitis.
• Nasal congestion.

The Diagnosis

Your doctor will ask you a series of questions to distinguish between tension or migraine headaches and sinus headaches. If you recently experienced a cold, an allergy flare-up, or sinusitis symptoms, it will aid your doctor in diagnosing.

The doctor checks the nose, face, and sinuses for congestion, discharge, tenderness, and sinus inflammation, using light to detect congested sinuses.

If your doctor suspects, they may recommend imaging tests for chronic sinusitis, allergies or ENT specialists for nasal endoscopy. ENT doctors or otolaryngologists may perform the tests.

Treatment Options for Sinus Inflammation

Treatment through Lifestyle Modification

Using a humidifier, saline nasal spray and breathing in steam 2 to 4 times daily could help reduce congestion in your sinuses.  

Other simple techniques, like particular stretches for the head and neck and some other relaxation techniques, would also be beneficial.

Treatment through Medications

The doctor prescribes antibiotics for acute sinusitis, taking 10-14 days, and chronic sinusitis for 3-4 weeks.

Nasal corticosteroid sprays help reduce nasal inflammation and relieve sneezing, itching, and runny nose symptoms, but it may take days to weeks to see improvement.

Antihistamines, available in oral, nasal spray, prescription, and over-the-counter forms, treat allergies by blocking histamine release.

Decongestants like Sudafed, Actifed, Afrin, and Neo-Synephrine may contain pseudoephedrine, raising blood pressure. People with high blood pressure or prostate should avoid it. Avoid nasal decongestants for more than 3 days and emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

Through Surgery

Your doctor may suggest endoscopic sinus surgery to remove polyps or bone spurs if your persistent sinusitis does not improve with treatment.

 Other medical professionals advise widening the sinus aperture. In a more recent operation known as balloon rhinoplasty, a balloon is inflated into the sinus cavity.

ENT specialists perform sinus operations.

Conclusion

A stuffy nose can cause headaches due to increased sinus pressure, inflammation, and dryness. Proper nasal congestion management can alleviate both symptoms, including saline sprays, decongestants, or steam inhalation. Visit AFC Urgent Care Hillsdale for walk-in care today! Open seven days a week.