What Is A Sinus Infection
A sinus infection, also known as sinusitis, creates pressure in the nasal cavity and causes pain and discomfort. Sinusitis can be caused by a virus, bacteria, and in some rare cases, fungus.
Sinus infections are often confused with the common cold because they present similar symptoms. However, they are two different ailments and colds often cause sinus infections, which often last longer than someone who only got a cold.
Colds typically last 3 to 5 days whereas sinus infections can last up to 10 days.
Sinusitis can also become a chronic condition whereas colds come and go. If your sinus infections last for eight weeks or more, that would be considered chronic sinusitis.
Symptoms of sinusitis include:
- Bad breath
- Tooth pain
If your sinusitis lasts for more than 7 days, youve had a fever for 3-4 days, or if you feel like youre in particularly intense pain, you should go see your doctor for the best advice.
In The Study Of The Sinus Infection Neck Pain:
Which including more than 5,000 people, the association of sinus infection neck pain with the risk of neck cancer was found at 58 percent, especially pharyngeal cancer?
The findings also support the need for cervical cancer in people with Sinus infection Neck Pain, the researchers said.
Sinus Infection Neck Pain leads to a headache in the head, and pain behind the ear is associated with otitis media.
This inflammation in the sinuses lead to obstruction of the nose, headache, and inability to breathe well, especially during sleep, and leads to congestion of the throat; Breathing can only be done by mouth.
How Are Neck Pain And Sinusitis Connected
Sinuses and headaches are related and most of us, if not all, know that. But can we say that the same relationship exists between sinuses and neck pain? And if its really there, then whats the connection?
Sinusitis affects most people in the spring, since this is the period when pollen counts are alarmingly high and cold and flu rampant. Someone with sinuses is likely to first have clear runny nose and even feel pain over the affected sinuses. He/she is also likely to experience other histamine related symptoms like watery eyes and sneezing, among others.
Read Also: How Do You Tell If Your Wrist Is Broken
What Increases The Chances Of Getting Neck Pain
Many factors are associated with an increased risk of the development or persistence of neck pain.
For example:
- Occupation: particularly demanding or particularly sedentary work environments.
- Lifestyle: poor general health and fitness , sedentary behaviours.
- Age: most common in middle age.
- Sex: more common in females.
- Genetics: many diseases and disorders that contribute to back pain run in the family.
- Previous injury: if you have had a previous episode of neck pain then you are more likely to experience neck pain.
- Mental health: neck pain is more common and likely to be more persistent in those that suffer with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
When To See Your Doctor For Sinus Infection
Make an appointment with your doctor if you have a fever, nasal discharge, congestion, or facial pain that lasts longer than ten days or keeps coming back. The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you dont already have a doctor.
A fever is not a typical symptom of either chronic or acute sinusitis, but it is possible. You could have an underlying condition that is causing your chronic infections, in which case you may need special treatment.
Recommended Reading: Can Blueberries Cause Stomach Pain
Throat Irritation And Cough
As the discharge from your sinuses drains down the back of your throat, it can cause irritation, especially over a long period of time. This can lead to a persistent and annoying cough, which can be worse when lying down to sleep or first thing in the morning after getting up from bed.
It can also make sleeping difficult. Sleeping upright or with your head elevated can help reduce the frequency and intensity of your coughing.
Other Headaches That Cause Neck Pain
“Neck pain can be its own headache, called a cervicogenic headache,” says Dr. Ahmed. According to the National Headache Society, cervicogenic headaches come from a source in your neck. The pain starts in the spine of your neck, called your cervical spine, and travels up to your head. The problem in your cervical spine could be due to pressure on a nerve or blood vessel from a cervical vertebra, one of the bones in your neck. Headaches can be traced to neck trauma or arthritis of the cervical spine.
Cervicogenic headaches can be severe. They usually cause pain and a stiff neck, and typically the pain gets worse when you move your neck. Pain can shoot into your shoulders, arms, face, head and eyes. Pain can mimic a migraine and be only on one side. Treatment of these headaches depends on the cause, but it may include physical therapy, nerve block injections, pain medication and sometimes surgery.
“A severe headache with neck pain could be a migraine or cervicogenic headache,” Dr. Ahmed says. “The most important thing to do is get the right diagnosis so you can get the right treatment.”
Read Also: How Do You Tell If Your Wrist Is Broken
Why The Confusion Between Sinus Pressure And Migraines
Sinus pressure causes headaches, right? Sure, its possible. However, always thinking of the connection as being unilateral, or just going in that direction, can easily lead to misdiagnosis. Sometimes the headache is a sign of migraines, and sinus pressure is just one more symptom.
How can you determine if your sinus problems are actually migraine related? The American Migraine Foundation offers 3 diagnostic inquiries:
- Are the headaches disabling ?
- Are you nauseous during your sinus problems?
- Do you suffer from sensory sensitivity?
If even two of these three other symptoms are present, you have a greater than 90% chance of being a migraineur rather than simply having sinus headaches.
Why is this information important when it comes to seeking care for your sinus pressure? Quite frankly, it is because the success of care depends on knowing the underlying problem. You cant treat sinus issues and expect to feel better if you are actually suffering from migraines that have sinus pressure as one symptom.
Diagnosing A Sinus Infection
To diagnose a sinus infection, your doctor will feel for tenderness in your nose and face. They will also look inside your nose and can usually make a diagnosis based on a physical exam. To visually inspect your sinuses, the doctor may use a nasal endoscopy, where they insert a thin, flexible tube into your nostril.
For more severe cases, your doctor may recommend imaging studies like a CT scan. These are less common and typically only used when the doctor suspects complications or abnormalities. If you have chronic sinus infections, your doctor may want to examine your sinuses for deformities or damage.
To diagnose a sinus infection, your doctor will feel for tenderness in your nose and face. They will also look inside your nose and can usually make a diagnosis based on a physical exam.
If the treatment for your sinus infection doesnt seem to be working or if the infection comes back, the doctor may take tissue samples from your nose and sinus cavities. While lab tests arent generally necessary for an initial diagnosis, these cultures may help a doctor check for indications of a more severe bacterial infection.
If your persistent sinus infections arent caused by damage or deformity to the sinuses themselves, you may be referred to an allergist for allergy testing to help pinpoint the allergens responsible and help you avoid them or take medications to control the reactions.
Read Also: Blueberries Stomach Pain
Sinus Infection Outlook And Recovery
Acute sinusitis usually goes away within one to two weeks with proper care and medication. Chronic sinusitis is more severe and may require seeing a specialist or having long-term treatment to address the cause of the constant infections.
Chronic sinusitis can last for three or more months. Good hygiene, keeping your sinuses moist and clear, and treating symptoms immediately can help shorten the course of the infection.
Many treatments and procedures exist for both acute and chronic cases. Even if you experience multiple acute episodes or chronic sinusitis, seeing a doctor or specialist can greatly improve your outlook after these infections.
Find Relief For Sinus
When you think that you have sinus-related neck pain, it is important to first treat the infection. If the sinus infection is bacterial, then antibiotics may help. Viral infections usually need to run their course, but there are some things that you can do at home to start finding relief. Steam can help to open up your sinuses and soften the mucus so that it drains more easily. You can use a humidifier in your bedroom or take a shower to help get more warm, moist air to your nasal cavities. Avoiding allergens can further help to reduce the amount of mucus that your sinuses produce until your infection clears.
Treating the symptoms of your sinus infection can also include using therapies to improve your neck pain. If you already have a neck injury or chronic condition, then it is possible that your sinus infection is making the pain worse by irritating the already tender nerves. In this case, you may need to work with a chiropractor to loosen up tight soft tissues in your neck and relieve the inflammation. If your neck is out of alignment, then they can help to restore the natural curve that prevents nerve and muscle pain. When you visit the chiropractor, they will ask you about your current habits and how the pain interferes with your daily activities. Mentioning that the pain started with your sinus infection or if it is worse in the morning can help them to determine what is causing your discomfort.
Read Also: Fracture Vs Sprain Wrist
What Is A Sinusitis
Sinus infections, also known as sinusitis, affect 15% of Americans every year. Sinuses are hollow cavities in the skull which serve as passages for mucus and dust particles to travel from the nose to the back of the throat.
When your sinuses become inflamed, the mucous membranes of the sinuses, nose, and throat begin to swell, trapping mucus and dust inside the nasal cavity and preventing the normal flow of mucus from the nose to the back of the throat.
When you are diagnosed with a sinus infection, it could be in one or more of the following areas:
- The maxillary sinus, located within the bony structure of the cheeks
- The frontal sinus, located behind the forehead and eyebrows
- The ethmoid sinus, located on either side of the bridge of the nose
- The sphenoid sinus, located behind the nose directly in front of the brain
Most infections are in the frontal and maxillary sinuses. Sinusitis treatment will depend on whether the infection is acute or chronic. Acute sinusitis typically goes away on its own, while chronic sinusitis will often require drug therapy, or in some cases, surgery.
How To Prevent A Sinus Infection
If you want to follow basic rules that teach how to prevent a sinus infection, you should know that the most basic rule is to wash your hands often. Avoid cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoke since smoke causes and irritates inflamed membranes in your sinuses and nose. Avoid breathing dry air and consider using a humidifier to increase moisture in the air. If you have stuffiness caused by a cold or allergies, treat it promptly to prevent a bacterial infection from developing in your sinuses. If you have allergies, avoid things that trigger them. You may want to consider taking allergy shots.;;
Resources
Recommended Reading: Big Belly Back Pain
Treating Cervical Ligaments With Prolotherapy Published Research From Caring Medical
Prolotherapy is an injection technique that stimulates the repair of unstable, torn, or damaged ligaments. When the cervical ligaments are unstable, they allow for excessive movement of the vertebrae, which can stress tendons, atrophy muscles, pinch on nerves, such as the vagus nerve,; and cause other symptoms associated with cervical instability including problems of digestion among others.
In 2014, we published a comprehensive review of the problems related to weakened damaged cervical neck ligaments in;The Open Orthopaedics Journal. We are honored that this research has been used in at least 6 other medical research papers by different authors exploring our treatments and findings and cited, according to Google Scholar, in more than 40 articles.
Other Symptoms Of A Sinus Infection
The symptoms of a sinus infection often resemble those of a bad cold. These can include a runny nose, headache, facial pain, and nasal congestion. In addition to typical cold symptoms, a sinus infection may cause yellow- or green-tinged mucus. You may also experience post-nasal drip and a sore throat, along with puffiness and soreness around the face and sinuses. You may also have a dry, unproductive cough and a fever. Fatigue and bad breath are also symptoms of sinus infections.
Different sinuses also present different types of pain if infected. For example, infection of the sinuses around your eyes may result in red, puffy eyes that look like an allergic flare-up, while infection of the sinuses in your cheeks may cause excessive bad breath and pain in your teeth.
Recommended Reading: Is Mobic Good For Sciatica Pain
Sinus Pressure Symptoms And Atlas Displacement Complex
- Date: Feb 24, 2019
Many individuals, both adults and children, suffer with sinus pressure symptoms. These symptoms may be acute or chronic in nature and include painful pressure in the face around or behind the eyes, and often are accompanied by headaches. Sinus pressure symptoms overlap with symptoms of other conditions and as such can lead to confusion regarding cause, appropriate treatment, and ultimately how to obtain lasting relief.
What is causing sinus pressure symptoms?
There are a number of structures in the facial region that can be affected by those with sinus pressure symptoms. Identifying the probable tissues of involvement is essential for obtaining lasting relief. The frontal sinuses are located in the forehead above the eyes. The sphenoid sinus is located deep in the skull behind the nose, just behind the ethmoid sinuses that are situated behind the nasal cavity. The maxillary sinuses are located on either side of the nose just below the eyes extending out toward the cheekbones. Each of these sinuses is lined by a mucosal membrane, or a moist lining that is rich with blood vessels and nerve endings. These sensitive tissues are important for warming the air coming into the lunges, filtering out particulates, and serve an immune system function by identifying pathogens and stimulating a response to fight off infection. Sinus pressure symptoms may result from inflammation in these tissues resulting in painful pressure behind the eyes or on the face.
References:
Is Your Sinus Headache Actually A Toothache Or Tmj
Some people experience allergies year-round and not just during allergy season in Philadelphia. For some people that means irritated eyes and runny noses all year long. But for others it means headaches. When you have allergies, your body triggers an aggressive immune system response to something that is relatively benign, like pollen.;
One of the effects of this can be swelling in the lining of your sinuses. This can cause a painful sensation in your cheeks, around your eyes, and in your forehead. The pain may be constant, or it may pulse with your heartbeat. However, it turns out that sinus headaches are actually very rare, and that many people who have been diagnosed with them actually have migraines or tension headaches. They may also be related to a toothache.
Were here to help you find out if youre suffering from a sinus infection, toothache, or TMJ.;
Don’t Miss: Meloxicam Muscle Pain
How Long Do Sinus Headaches Last
Viruses cause most sinus infections. A viral sinus infection typically resolves on its own. Similar to how the common cold clears up by itself, your sinus headache should feel better within about a week. If it doesnt go away, see your healthcare provider. You may have a bacterial or fungal sinus infection that requires medication.
Rhinosinusitis / Sinusitis Is This A Drainage Problem Caused By Herniated Discs
Above I suggested the connection between cervical spinal instability and a patients Eustachian tube dysfunction and sinusitis. Lets look at the sinusitis part of his problem and also connect that to cervical spine instability.
First, lets look at a case study in the Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapy. It looks at possible sinus headaches and the development of rhinosinusitis and a connection to neck pain.
Here are the summary learning points:
- Headaches can be associated with rhinosinusitis and may present a diagnostic challenge because of symptomatic overlap with other recurring headaches.
- Neck pain has received extensive attention in migraine, tension-type, and cervicogenic headaches but not as a comorbid feature of headache in those with rhinosinusitis.
- This study investigated the occurrence of neck pain and cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction in individuals with self-reported sinus headaches.
- Patients in this study were asked to assess their Cervical range of motion , had a cervical segmental examination, muscle endurance, and pressure-pain threshold tests.
- Findings or tests and examinations: Neck pain and cervical musculoskeletal dysfunction are common among persons with sinus headaches and may be a comorbid feature or contributing factor to headaches attributed to rhinosinusitis. Further research is needed to understand these associations.
Read Also: Neck Pain Nausea Diarrhea
A Clue Suggesting Vagus Nerve Compression Is The Problem: Some People With A Functional Disorder Of The Upper Cervical Spine Have Problems Related To Vision
The people in the above study noted a problem of mydriasis on the side of the affected ear.
When the Vagus nerve is injured by compression caused by instability at C1-C2, this can cause vasospasms . If these vasospasms impact the ophthalmic artery, the artery that supplies blood to the eye and eye area including the orbit this can lead to some of the symptoms are patients describe to us such as darkening, black spots, or grayness in the vision of one eye.
In this image, vision problems caused by cervical spine instability is connected to Diminished ocular blood flow, Exaggerated pupillary hippus dilating, hampered accommodation or human ocular accommodation mechanism or accommodation reflex, Increased intraocular pressure or elevated intraocular pressure, Limited pupillary constriction, Optic nerve damage.;
https://kn-my-p-n.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/can-sinus-problems-cause-neck-and-head-pain-reference-com.jpeg
https://www.knowmypain.com/can-sinus-infection-cause-neck-pain/
https://kn-my-p-n.b-cdn.net/wp-content/uploads/can-sinus-problems-cause-neck-and-head-pain-reference-com.jpeg
https://knowmypain.weebly.com/know-my-pain/can-sinus-infection-cause-neck-pain
No comments:
Post a Comment