What are sinus headaches / Rhinogenic Headache?

Have you ever felt under pressure around your eyes and cheeks, and your head is throbbing? It would appear that you have another Sinus headache / Rhinogenic Headache.

Sinusitis/rhinosinusitis is an inflammation of the tissues lining the sinuses. It leads to poor or blocked sinus drainage and causes congestion, headaches, runny nose, loss of smell and taste, and infections. Worldwide it affects millions of people every year.

Acute vs. Chronic

Acute sinusitis only lasts for a short period, as stated by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Usually, it’s less than four weeks. In an acute infection, the patient suffers from a part of a cold or other respiratory illness.

Chronic sinus infections last for more than twelve weeks or recur periodically. Allergies & nasal polyps are noticed in these patients.

Symptoms Of A Sinus Headache / Rhinogenic Headache

• Pain, pressure, and fullness in your cheeks
• Uncomfortable pressure behind the forehead
• Stuffy nose
• Runny nose
• Fatigue
• Green or yellow nasal discharge and congestion
• Achy feeling in the upper teeth
• Allergies & nasal polyps lead to sinus pain and symptoms

Causes of a Sinus Headache / Rhinogenic Headache:

Sinus headaches / Rhinogenic Headache are triggered by allergic reactions or changes in weather. Allergy caused by pollen or dust – affects the mucous membranes leads to our eyes watery and nose runny.

Bacterial infections, viral infections & fungal infections trigger a sinus headache. Viral infections last for a few days whereas bacterial infections can last for 7 days or beyond.

 Allergic Fungal Sinusitis may affect our lung and respiratory issues and the patient has asthma or nasal polyps.

When to See an ENT

Usually, people often blame these symptoms on allergies or cold attack, headache or simply feeling the effect of weather change. However, it can be an indication of Sinusitis. Paying attention to these symptoms and the duration of occurring can help determine to visit an ENT specialist.

Treatment for Sinus headache / Rhinogenic Headache

Your ENT specialist may treat your sinus headache with pain relievers, allergy medications,  antibiotics, decongestants, or steroids.

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg.  2017 suggests after performing a Clinical study, that  Balloon Sinuplasty should be considered as an effective alternative option for the Treatment of Sinus headache / Rhinogenic Headache.

How Balloon Sinus Surgery Works

The Balloon Sinus Surgery can be performed in the ENT’s office or OT. A local or general anesthetic is applied to numb the area. Then a very small balloon catheter is inserted up through the nasal passage into the sinus. The balloon is inflated and this opens the sinus passage. The ENT flushes out the mucous and pus that has collected in the sinus with a saline solution. The balloon is removed and the sinus passage stays open.

When the balloon is inflated, it permanently alters the structure of the sinus opening. The passage not only is opened by the balloon, but it also stays open afterward. This keeps the sinus from being blocked. Because the sinus isn’t blocked it drains properly. Since the sinuses are draining you don’t get sinus headaches. It’s a cure for sinus headaches that lasts.

Balloon sinuplasty is a new technology for treating Sinus Headaches / Rhinogenic Headaches & chronic sinusitis. This is a UFDA approved technology. Affordable and inexpensive Balloon Sinuplasty procedures are available at several medical tourist destinations abroad. India, the USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jordan, and Turkey are using Balloon sinuplasty

Benefits of a balloon sinuplasty

A Balloon sinuplasty can treat  Sinus Headache, chronic sinusitis, opening your blocked sinuses & you will get relief. This is perhaps the biggest benefit of a balloon sinuplasty. Here are some more benefits.

1. This is a minimally invasive procedure

 The balloon sinuplasty doesn’t need an incision. The balloon is inflated and this opens the sinus passage, the cavity is cleaned and drained. No incisions or stitches!

2. The procedure takes very little time

   The balloon sinuplasty can be performed in the ENT’s office or OT, and it takes about an hour.

3. Faster Recovery

Minimally invasive procedures provide faster recovery compared to traditional surgery ― and balloon sinuplasty is no exception. The majority of patients return to their normal activities within a couple of days.

4. No nasal packing

Some nasal surgeries require nasal packing to absorb any bleeding. Remember, there’s no need for incisions or bone/tissue removal with a balloon sinuplasty, so you will not experience the same post-surgical discomfort.

5. Long-lasting relief

The most rewarding benefits of a balloon sinuplasty are that the relief is Long-lasting. In a research article published in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, patients report relief for up to two years after the procedure.

Talk To The ENT About Your Sinus Headaches / Rhinogenic Headaches

If you have recurrent sinus headaches, it’s time to talk to the ENT. Make an appointment to discuss and find out if

Balloon Sinus Surgery is the best option for you. You have nothing to lose but the pain and discomfort of sinus headaches.

What is Sinusitis?

Sinusitis/Rhinosinusitis is an infection or inflammation of the tissues lining the sinuses. It leads to poor or blocked sinus drainage. Sinusitis can occur in people of any age. Sinusitis in children also often & cause discomfort to the patient.

What are the symptoms of Sinusitis?

According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the signs of sinusitis include:

• Nasal inflammation
• Nasal obstruction or Congestion
• Pain, tenderness, and swelling around the eyes, cheeks, forehead, nose
• Continuous Headaches
• Runny nose
• Thick & discolored discharge from the nose
• Allergies & nasal polyps lead to sinus pain and symptoms
• Loss of smell and taste, and infections

Worldwide sinusitis affects millions of people every year.

Acute vs. Chronic

Acute sinusitis lasts for a short period, as stated by the American Academy of Otolaryngology. It’s less than four weeks. During an Acute sinus infection, the patient suffers from a cold attack or other respiratory illness.

Chronic sinus infections last for more than twelve weeks. It may recur periodically. Allergies & nasal polyps are commonly noticed in these patients.

Sinusitis in Children

Sinusitis in children is a concern, and parents need to consider it seriously  & check-up with their doctor. The child’s nose needs to be examined to determine the cause of sinusitis. A mucus sample of the child may show what germ is causing the infection. It can help the doctor to opt for the appropriate treatment. Even if the child’s symptoms go away on their own, the recurring sinus attack history should be reported to the doctor’s attention. Immune problems or antibody deficiencies may be risky for chronic sinusitis.

What causes sinusitis in a child?

When the sinuses are blocked due to the infection, bacteria may start to grow. This leads to sinusitis or Nasal Congestion

The most common bacteria that cause acute sinusitis include:

• Moraxella catarrhalis

• Streptococcus pneumonia

• Haemophilus influenzae

How is sinusitis diagnosed in a child?

The Doctor will record the Medical health history of the child and ask for a physical exam. The child may have tests, such as:

• Sinus X-rays: An X-ray exam of the sinuses may help with the diagnosis.

• CT scan of the sinuses: A CT scan shows detailed images of the sinuses

• Cultures from the sinuses: A swab of discharge from the nose may be taken. The sample is checked for the culture of bacteria or other germs.

What are the treatments available for Sinusitis?

The ENT specialist will be the best option to treat sinusitis in a child with pain relievers, antibiotics, allergy medications, decongestants, or steroids.

According to Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 2009 March, Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure in children seems to be very encouraging. There is no bone or tissue removal, the procedure seems to be suitable for use in children.

Safety and feasibility of Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure for treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis in children

Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure can treat chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) by opening your blocked sinuses & you will get relief. This technique allows for restoring ventilation to the sinuses with minimal trauma to the tissues. According to Am J Rhinol Allergy Jan-Feb 2010, Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure of the sinus Ostia in children was safe and a significant number showed improvement.

Here are some benefits of the Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure:

1. This is a minimally invasive procedure

The Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure doesn’t need an incision. The balloon is inflated to open the sinus passage, the cavity is cleaned and drained. No incisions or stitches are necessary.

2. The procedure takes very little time

The  Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure can be performed in the ENT’s office or OT, and it takes about an hour.

3. Faster Recovery

Minimally invasive procedures provide faster recovery compared to traditional surgery ― and Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure is no exception. The majority of patients return to their normal activities within a couple of days.

4. No nasal packing

Traditional nasal surgeries require nasal packing for absorbing the bleeding. Remember, there’s no need for incisions or bone/tissue removal with Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure, so you will not experience the same post-surgical discomfort.

5. Long-lasting relief

The most rewarding benefit of a Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure is, the relief is Long-lasting. In a research article published in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, patients report relief for up to two years after the procedure.

Talk To The ENT

If your child has chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), it’s time to talk to the ENT. Make an appointment to discuss and find out if a Balloon Sinus Dilation Procedure is the best option for your child. Your child will recover soon if he or she gets the proper treatment from an ENT.