Sinus Headache

This variety of headache causes mild to severe pain and pressure around the sinuses, the air-filled cavities located throughout the face. Because some of the same nerves activated in a migraine are activated in a sinus headache, the two can feel similar. You might have a sinus headache if you have a yellow or green nasal discharge. With a migraine, nasal fluids tend to be clear.

How Long It Lasts and Frequency: A sinus headache can subside or last until the infection that caused it has been treated and the mucus has drained. Infections might clear up on their own, but treatment will probably speed recovery and lessen the severity of the headache, says Jordan Josephson, an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) and the author of Sinus Relief Now (Perigee Trade, $16, www.amazon.com). Sinus headaches can recur, but they don’t follow a pattern.

Who Gets Them: People with allergies and frequent travelers are the most susceptible to the infections. (Airplane air is unventilated and shared, so travelers are more likely to pick up bacteria or a virus.)

Usually Caused By: Bacteria or a virus that leads to infection and inflames the area. It’s a vicious cycle: When healthy sinuses become clogged and cannot drain, they can harbor bacteria or a virus, which leads to pressure and congestion. That congestion then makes the sinuses more prone to infection. Structural problems, such as a deviated septum (which can block the flow of air), increase the chance of infecting the sinuses.

How to Treat without Medication:

Daily use of over-the-counter saline nasal products helps rinse out pollutants, allergens, and germs that could start a future infection, says Josephson.

In the wintertime, a humidifier will help keep sinus membranes moist. (Dry air can cause mucus to dry and crust, which can lead to bleeding and infection.) But be sure to keep the humidifier clean, and don’t use the machine in warm or humid weather, when it can increase the amount of mold in the air, possibly exacerbating a sinus infection and headache.

How to Treat with Medication:

If you think you have a sinus headache, see an otolaryngologist for a proper diagnosis. She may recommend a pain reliever and a decongestant to help speed mucus drainage.

If you have allergies, consider a daily over-the-counter antihistamine to help reduce the sinus-membrane swelling.

Your doctor might run tests to determine whether you have a bacterial infection, which is treated with antibiotics, or a viral infection, which, like a cold, may respond to home remedies, such as resting and drinking warm fluids.

As a maintenance strategy, your doctor might recommend a steroid spray, like Nasonex or NasacortAQ, to keep membrane swelling to a minimum.

Surgery is a last resort for people who suffer from recurrent sinus infections or have a structural blockage.