Saturday, March 13, 2010

How To Get Rid Of Sinus Headache

By Porter Smith

Sinus headaches can be brutal. But what causes them? Bacteria, viral or fungal infections cause inflammation in the sinus cavities. This is known commonly as sinusitis. This inflammation creates pressure and soon you have a sinus headache. Sinusitis is categorized as acute (lasts up to 4 weeks, ) sub acute (lasts 4-8 weeks, ) or chronic (lasts more than 8 weeks.) If you're wondering how to get rid of sinus headache pain whether medically or non-medically, here are a few ways.

One remedy to sinus headache is to take Pseudoephedrine, the ingredient found in most decongestants. It acts as a stimulant on the cell receptors found in your nose throat and sinuses. This in turn causes the narrowing of blood vessels in those areas and thus a reduction in inflammation and the development of mucus. Since the pressure exerted by inflamed blood vessels is eased and mucus drains from the sinus cavity, the headache is lessened.

More serious infections may require a trip to the doctor's office. Your physician may find that you need a prescription for a more powerful decongestant. He or she may also determine that antibiotics are necessary. A broad-spectrum antibiotic, such as cephalosporin, might be used to fight a wide array of bacteria or a narrow-spectrum one, such as penicillin, may be used to target very specific bacteria culprits.

One non-medicinal method to alleviating headache pain from sinusitis is to use a humidifier, which increases the moisture in the air. A steam humidifier (vaporizer) can be particularly helpful. This appliance boils the water in its tank which releases steam into the room. A mentholated medicated inhalant can also be added to the vaporizer to help reduce congestion. Additionally, since the moisture released into the room is from boiled water, vaporizers maybe healthier than cool mist humidifiers which may transmit impurities that have not been boiled away from the standing water in the tank.

Another simple idea is to take a hot shower. The steam created by the shower can help drain built-up mucus from the sinuses and bring headache relief.

Sinus headaches can be debilitating. The good news is that there a several ways to help ease the pain, medically as well as non-medically. If symptoms persist or frequently recur, seek the advice of a doctor.

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