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Sinus Migraines...
I suffer from Chronic Sinus Pain... My sinuses have been really bad the last few weeks - so unfortunately I have had quite a few migraines the last few weeks. I try taking nasal decongestants, prescription for allergy/sinus, saline spray, Ice packs, etc to help with the sinus part. Once the migraine forms, I do my normal quiet, dark, etc... Does anyone else have this type of problem? Have you found something that works good for you? I am so tired of the non-stop suffering! Thanks!
Thanks for all the info - I think you are right - because as I'm reading your post - it's all exactly like what I am going through. I will be setting an appt up with my dr again soon, it's been a little while since the migraines had lessened there for a little bit
Thank you!!
-Lisa
Thank you!!
-Lisa
Hi Lisa!
I would suggest instead of treating these headaches as sinus headaches in the beginning, treat them as migraine headaches right away (since that is what they turn into) and use a triptan (prescription migraine medication) at the first sign of the headache. The reason why I suggest this is because it has been discovered that almost all sinus headaches aren't actually sinus headaches but are in fact migraine headaches. The allergies and sinus problems can trigger the headaches, but once you get a headache, that is probably a migraine. So, although the allergy medication is great for prevention, you still need an acute treatment for the headaches that is specifically for migraines and not for sinus pain or allergies.
It's still important to take all of your daily sinus medications for the chronic sinus pain and allergies. Saline sinus rinses can also be helpful for some people if done daily to avoid allergy symptoms, have you done a saline sinus rinse before? I know you said you use sprays, but sometimes rinses can be helpful too. It can be a little strange rinsing out your sinuses the first time, but after a while you get used to it.
Also, do you use/have you heard of the sinus prescription Nasonex? I use it and I find it very helpful for my allergies. Unlike a lot of sprays, Nasonex won't cause rebound sinus problems and Nasonex can be used every day.
Decongestants can cause rebound sinus problems if taken more than three days in a row or if they are taken too often, so those shouldn't be taken too often. But everything else is good and all of the sinus and allergy medications are probably even really good for the prevention of migraines, since allergies can be really bad migraine triggers... but, just none of the sinus stuff is ideal for the acute treatment of migraines because none of it is migraine medication and the moment you feel a migraine, you should probably be taking acute migraine medication.
The confusing thing with migraines is that a lot of the symptoms of migraines mimic sinus symptoms: the location of the pain (usually around the eyes), a stuffy nose, a runny nose, pressure in the front of your face, watery eyes, red blood-shot eyes, etc. But, these symptoms, when accompanied by a migraine, really have nothing to do with sinus pain at all, but are completely due to our migraines. A good way to tell the difference between sinus pain and migraine pain is the severity of the pain, most true sinus pain is usually very mild except in some rare cases. Another good way to tell the difference between sinus pain and a migraine is how quickly it comes on, sinus pain comes on very gradually, usually over the course of days, where as a migraine headache (the pain part of the migraine) will usually develop more quickly than sinus pain, within hours or minutes. Another good sign is what feels better, hot or cold, to relieve the pain... for the most part, hot and steam will make sinus pain feel better whereas cold will make a migraine feel better. And, in your case, cold makes the migraine feel better... which suggests to me that these are really specifically migraines.
So, the important part of all of that, is what you're using to treat your acute migraines with. Because, I too feel like I am having horrible sinus pain whenever I get a migraine and I have often grabbed a decongestant instead of migraine medication, and I am still learning that this is a mistake (because most often it will not work)... my neurologist always tells me that I should not use sinus medication to treat acute migraine pain every time I see him and my habits are slowly changing, but I know it is difficult when it feels so much like sinus pain. Although, the fact is, my neurologist is right that for me, no matter how much it feels like it is starting off as sinus pain, it is always a migraine. So... maybe this is true for you as well... since it is true for most people with migraines. I don't know, but I am just suggesting it as a possibility.
So, I would suggest getting a prescription for a triptan (migraine medication) and using that at the first sign of a migraine, even if it feels like a sinus headache. Because, right now it sounds like although you have lots of preventative medications to prevent the things that trigger your migraines (the sinus problems) you don't have anything to use for acute treatment (like a triptan). The triptans that I think are best are Zomig Nasal Spray and Maxalt-MLTs... although there are tons of triptans out there and lots of people find lots of different ones helpful.
Let me know if you find a good solution that stops the suffering! Good luck, I hope you feel better soon! :)
- marilee
I would suggest instead of treating these headaches as sinus headaches in the beginning, treat them as migraine headaches right away (since that is what they turn into) and use a triptan (prescription migraine medication) at the first sign of the headache. The reason why I suggest this is because it has been discovered that almost all sinus headaches aren't actually sinus headaches but are in fact migraine headaches. The allergies and sinus problems can trigger the headaches, but once you get a headache, that is probably a migraine. So, although the allergy medication is great for prevention, you still need an acute treatment for the headaches that is specifically for migraines and not for sinus pain or allergies.
It's still important to take all of your daily sinus medications for the chronic sinus pain and allergies. Saline sinus rinses can also be helpful for some people if done daily to avoid allergy symptoms, have you done a saline sinus rinse before? I know you said you use sprays, but sometimes rinses can be helpful too. It can be a little strange rinsing out your sinuses the first time, but after a while you get used to it.
Also, do you use/have you heard of the sinus prescription Nasonex? I use it and I find it very helpful for my allergies. Unlike a lot of sprays, Nasonex won't cause rebound sinus problems and Nasonex can be used every day.
Decongestants can cause rebound sinus problems if taken more than three days in a row or if they are taken too often, so those shouldn't be taken too often. But everything else is good and all of the sinus and allergy medications are probably even really good for the prevention of migraines, since allergies can be really bad migraine triggers... but, just none of the sinus stuff is ideal for the acute treatment of migraines because none of it is migraine medication and the moment you feel a migraine, you should probably be taking acute migraine medication.
The confusing thing with migraines is that a lot of the symptoms of migraines mimic sinus symptoms: the location of the pain (usually around the eyes), a stuffy nose, a runny nose, pressure in the front of your face, watery eyes, red blood-shot eyes, etc. But, these symptoms, when accompanied by a migraine, really have nothing to do with sinus pain at all, but are completely due to our migraines. A good way to tell the difference between sinus pain and migraine pain is the severity of the pain, most true sinus pain is usually very mild except in some rare cases. Another good way to tell the difference between sinus pain and a migraine is how quickly it comes on, sinus pain comes on very gradually, usually over the course of days, where as a migraine headache (the pain part of the migraine) will usually develop more quickly than sinus pain, within hours or minutes. Another good sign is what feels better, hot or cold, to relieve the pain... for the most part, hot and steam will make sinus pain feel better whereas cold will make a migraine feel better. And, in your case, cold makes the migraine feel better... which suggests to me that these are really specifically migraines.
So, the important part of all of that, is what you're using to treat your acute migraines with. Because, I too feel like I am having horrible sinus pain whenever I get a migraine and I have often grabbed a decongestant instead of migraine medication, and I am still learning that this is a mistake (because most often it will not work)... my neurologist always tells me that I should not use sinus medication to treat acute migraine pain every time I see him and my habits are slowly changing, but I know it is difficult when it feels so much like sinus pain. Although, the fact is, my neurologist is right that for me, no matter how much it feels like it is starting off as sinus pain, it is always a migraine. So... maybe this is true for you as well... since it is true for most people with migraines. I don't know, but I am just suggesting it as a possibility.
So, I would suggest getting a prescription for a triptan (migraine medication) and using that at the first sign of a migraine, even if it feels like a sinus headache. Because, right now it sounds like although you have lots of preventative medications to prevent the things that trigger your migraines (the sinus problems) you don't have anything to use for acute treatment (like a triptan). The triptans that I think are best are Zomig Nasal Spray and Maxalt-MLTs... although there are tons of triptans out there and lots of people find lots of different ones helpful.
Let me know if you find a good solution that stops the suffering! Good luck, I hope you feel better soon! :)
- marilee
Yeah, they are just migraines triggered by sinuses - They start out with the sinus pressure, ache, and headache, and if I don't stop them - they cause a full blown migraine quickly... I've always had sinus problems - my nasal passage will swell closed very easily - which of course causes more problems!
I've realized one of the quickest ways to get relief is using ice packs on my head/face, but that's hard to do when I'm at work! lol
-Lisa
I've realized one of the quickest ways to get relief is using ice packs on my head/face, but that's hard to do when I'm at work! lol
-Lisa
Hi Hope_LS!
I was just wondering what type of doctor (family, neurologist, ENT, etc.) diagnosed you with sinus migraines? I have never heard of this specific diagnosis before and I am curious as to what it means? Can you explain it to me?
I know what chronic sinus pain is... and of course I know what migraines are ;) ... but, I just don't know what a sinus migraine is. Is that a migraine triggered by sinus pain? Or, is it something different?
Thanks you!! :)
- marilee
I was just wondering what type of doctor (family, neurologist, ENT, etc.) diagnosed you with sinus migraines? I have never heard of this specific diagnosis before and I am curious as to what it means? Can you explain it to me?
I know what chronic sinus pain is... and of course I know what migraines are ;) ... but, I just don't know what a sinus migraine is. Is that a migraine triggered by sinus pain? Or, is it something different?
Thanks you!! :)
- marilee
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