There are many types of headaches, and they’re all a pain. However, in the case of a sinus headache, you may mistakenly think you have a sinus infection – as the symptoms are pretty similar.
Even if you’ve been diagnosed with sinusitis (a sinus infection), your headache may not be related to the sinuses at all, notes the Mayo Clinic. It’s good to be able to distinguish between them, so you can best address the headache. Here are six signs and symptoms of a true sinus headache…
1. Sinus Infections
While stress can literally give you a headache in some cases (think tension headaches), sinus headaches aren’t commonly associated with this trigger. The University of Maryland Medical Center says sinus headaches are caused by sinus congestion and inflammation (from an infection including cold or flu).
Other possible causes of a sinus headache include seasonal allergies like hay fever, says the source. “Although a cold is the most common culprit, sinusitis can be caused by anything that prevents the sinuses from draining,” it adds.