News and Articles on Health. Medical research topics.

Sinusitis is a condition resulting from inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. This may be a result of infection from one of the following issues:

Bacterial

Fungal

Viral

Allergic

Impaired immune system

The newest classification of sinusitis refers to it as rhinosinusitis (rhinology is the medical specialty that deals with the nose and its diseases). The logic behind this choice is that inflammation of the sinuses cannot occur without some inflammation of the nose as well.

What is the Difference Between Acute and Chronic Sinusitis?

Acute sinusitis is a rapid onset and short but severe sinus infection that lasts up to four to eight weeks. Chronic sinusitis is a long-lasting and recurrent sinus infection. An attack that lasts more than eight weeks or keeps coming back is classified as chronic. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis are usually less severe than those of acute sinusitis, however this condition may lead to complications requiring prolonged treatment and sometimes surgery. Sinusitis that lasts between 4 and 12 weeks can be subdivided into the “subacute” classification.

Chronic Sinus headache

Whereas a person suffering from acute sinusitis is almost guaranteed a sinus headache, this is not the case with chronic sinusitis. In other words, a chronic sufferer will occasionally develop a chronic sinus headache due to internal pressure, however this is not a recognized characteristic of the disease. Sinus headache symptoms, which include facial discomfort and a dull, aching pain over the infected sinus, are common to both acute and chronic sinus infections.

The pain is nearly always localized over the infected sinus and often starts on one side and spreads over to the other. In addition, it is usually accompanied by a thick, yellow/green purulent nasal discharge, together with a hacking cough and a sore throat. The headache typically intensifies when the patient bends forward or lies down. If one or both of the maxillary sinuses are infected, a dull, achy toothache in the upper jaw is common.

Migraine misdiagnosis

It is difficult to tell the difference between sinus related headaches, pressure headaches and migraine headaches because many of their symptoms overlap. In fact, recent studies show that approximately 90% of so called “sinus headaches” turn out to be migraines. Migraine headache symptoms mimic sinus headaches because:

With a migraine, the trigeminal nerve innervates both the sinuses and the meninges surrounding the brain. This makes it almost impossible to isolate the origins of the pain.
A migraine often triggers nasal congestion
Autonomic nerve stimulation causes a runny nose and watery eyes

How to Tell the Difference

Whereas a migraine headache will respond to triptan medication, decongestants and antibiotics only serve to intensify the pain… and vice versa.
Sinus headaches do not display “auras” or visionary disturbances, which are common in migraines.
Unlike migraines, there is no sensitivity to bright light and loud noises with a chronic sinus headache.
A migraine lasts for a day or two, whereas a sinus headache can drag on for a week or more
A migraine typically produces a throbbing headache as opposed to the dull, constant pain experienced with a sinus headache

Without specialized medical training. it is extremely difficult to accurately diagnose the different classes of headache. Do not attempt to diagnose your own symptoms… it is unwise to treat yourself without consulting a physician. Dosing yourself with the wrong medication will only serve to intensify your headache.

The key for me in managing my migraine headaches was to learn how to identify the triggers that caused my migraines and try to avoid them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid all of them – stress for example-so I had to learn how to take action to reduce the severity of the migraine.

• Warning Signs

If you suffer from migraines you probably know by now that most migraines don’t just “happen” all of a sudden with no warning. I usually get warning signs a day or two before and if I am paying attention I can recognize them and takes steps to lessen or sometimes avoid my headache. Many migraine sufferers may recognize some of these early warning signs:

• Fatigue
• Difficulty concentrating
• Easily Irritated
• Particular food cravings
• Stress response- I get tension in my neck and shoulders

You may have a different set of warning signs but the key is to learn to recognize them – early on.

• Steps to Take

When you recognize your early warning signs you need to take action. When you first begin to feel a migraine is nearing try some of these techniques that work:

Deep focused breathing – we all breathe without thinking about how we do it. But focused deep breathing is the key to most relaxation techniques, making sure to fully exhale as you bring in and tighten your abdomen. To make it easier for me to focus on my breathing I count as I exhale. First I inhale deeply through my nose and then begin to slowly count to four as I exhaled. This technique helps me to clear my mind and focusing on my breathing.

Scan your body and focusing on relaxing where you hold tension. We all hold tension in our bodies, whether it’s in a common place like the neck or shoulders as I do, or some other part of the body. As you focus on breathing you can also learn to relax specific parts of your body. Learn to identify where you hold your tension and practice on relaxing. For example, I learned to slowly raise my shoulders up as far as I could and then allow them to quickly drop. I do this about 20 times – it really works – but you have to focus on letting go of the tension.

In summary, the key to preventing or lessening the severity of migraines can be as simple as learning to identify your trigger points, take action early, and learning to use techniques that help you to relax both your mind and your body.

Migraine headaches are a severe problem for people who experience them. The best way to help prevent migraines is control a few key aspects in your lifestyle. Learning how to manage your sleep patterns, focusing on maintaining your meal schedule, exercise and stress management are key. Properly controlling these four keys can play a significant role in managing migraine headaches.

• Many people who experience migraines have come to realize that a change in their sleeping patterns or habits can frequently be a trigger for migraines. If you fail to get sufficient sleep it can increase your stress level – a well known trigger point for migraines. But what you may not realize is that getting that extra hour on Saturday morning may be a problem as well. The infamous “week-end” migraine headache has less to do with whether its Saturday or Sunday and more to do with a change in your sleeping patterns.
• If you suffer from migraine headaches making sure that you eat your meals on a regular schedule is important. Skipping meals is a migraine trigger for many people and unfortunately it is an easy habit to get in to. Many people associate headaches that come from skipping meals with low blood sugar that can potentially result. But the reality for migraine sufferers is that the headaches have more to do with a change in patterns. Of course, stress is also frequently a factor that causes us to skip a meal and also a migraine trigger for most people.
• Regular exercise is also a great way to help reduce both the frequency and severity of migraines. It isn’t necessary to go to the gym and undergo a vigorous 60 minute workout every day. You just need to try to get in 20 minutes a day four times a week can help. And just like skipping meals because your are under stress, it’s easy to skip your exercise routine as well just when you probably need it the most. So try to keep to your exercise routine, it’s a good way to release stress and reduce migraines.
• You have to learn how to relax. Learning how to relax isn’t just about learning breathing techniques or a particular yoga stance, it’s also about your state of mind. You have to learn to take time out occasionally and allow yourself to relax and minimize the stimulus around you. It’s important to make a conscientious effort to relax.

In summary, the key to preventing migraines is to pay attention to your lifestyle, learn to identify your trigger points, and learn to use techniques that help you to relax both your mind and your body. You can’t always control the stress in your life, but you can learn to control how you deal with it, and how susceptible you are to migraines.

If you suffer from migraines, every bright light, stressful afternoon or loud noise can be a source of pure dread as you wait to see if a migraine will develop from these common causes of plain old headaches. Migraines make common headaches seem like a blessing, and you may limit your life and your activities dramatically in an effort to avoid these incredibly painful experiences.

People with chronic migraines, serious headaches that occur regularly over a long period of time, may be treated with everything from mood altering medicines to hypnosis. However, there is one treatment that has been used with considerable success that your doctor may not be telling you about.

According to preliminary research, the essential fatty acid omega 3, commonly found in fatty game fish like salmon and tuna, may dramatically reduce the duration and frequency of migraine headaches.

Preliminary research means that the scientific community not only suspects that this is the case, but has done studies that indicate omega 3 can seriously help control and eliminate chronic migraines. However, because these results have not yet been accepted by the medical community at large, researchers and their research on omega 3 have remained under the radar for most doctors.

Even most neurologists will not recommend an omega 3 supplement to help with migraines simply because they are not aware of this fatty acid’s potential.

Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil have long been acknowledged as a good supplement for cardiovascular health. To get the other benefits of this essential nutrient, however, you need much larger doses than you can get by just eating tuna melts once or twice a week. In order to derive full benefits from omega 3, you need to take it in the form of a daily supplement that contains the right types of the fatty acid to protect and bolster not just your health but also your psychological well being.

Look for a fish oil supplement made from salmon rather than tuna or other fish, as Arctic Circle salmon swim in the cleanest, clearest waters in the world and are far better for consumption than commercial tuna or mackerel.

Salmon Oil is made from only the flesh of Arctic Circle salmon. In addition, it’s certified to be 100% free of any toxins, pesticides, fungicides or heavy metals. In other words, it’s 100% pure omega 3 just as nature intended you to consume it.