Montgomery News

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population. 
• Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath, or fatigue. 
• Sinus headaches can cause facial pain, watery eyes, and post-nasal drip, similar to other kinds of headaches. 

Sinus headaches are a common symptom of sinusitis and can become quite debilitating. According to Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free, sinus headaches will go away when the sinus issues are treated. 

“Sinus headaches are referred pain caused by inflammation and blockage of the sinus cavity, which is causing those nerves to fire and transmit pain in the patient's facial area,” Dr. Khanna told the Montgomery News. “Whether it's behind the cheeks or in the forehead and the temples, it’s really anywhere in the head, depending on which sinuses are involved. You want to treat the sinus so that the headache goes away.”

Sinuses are air-filled spaces inside your forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of your nose. When they get inflamed, usually because of an allergic reaction or an infection, they swell and produce more mucus, and the channels that drain them can become blocked, according to WebMD. The build-up of pressure in your sinuses causes pain that feels like a headache. It is important to figure out what kind of headache you are having so that the correct course of action can be taken to relieve your pain.

According to Healthline, headaches are common. Research estimates that 70 to 80 percent of people experience headaches, and about 50 percent experience them at least once a month. Allergies can be the source of some of those headaches, and allergies related to sinus disease can cause headaches as well.

If your headache gets worse when you bend over or lay down, that would be a sign of a sinus headache. Other symptoms include a deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or the bridge of your nose, a stuffy nose, fatigue, and an achy feeling in the upper teeth. If headaches occur more than 15 days per month and OTC medicines are used frequently but help little, the Mayo Clinic recommends consulting a physician. 

For patients with sinus headaches, the goal is typically to relieve symptoms and treat any infections, according to WebMD. Antibiotics, antihistamines, or decongestants can be taken for a short time. Inhaled nasal decongestants can be taken, but only for up to three days. Longer use can worsen symptoms.

According to Capitol Breathe Free's website, Dr. Manish Khanna earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The following year, he completed postgraduate research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In 2002, he obtained his medical degree from Albany Medical College. Dr. Khanna then entered the otolaryngology residency program at Albany Medical Center, where he completed both his surgical internship and residency, serving as chief resident until 2007. After his residency, he pursued a fellowship in rhinology, specializing in advanced endoscopic sinus surgery, at the California Sinus Institute in Palo Alto, California. He completed this fellowship and achieved board certification in otolaryngology—head and neck surgery in 2008 before returning to the D.C. metro area.