Are you experiencing persistent or recurring sinus pain? When your sinuses become infected or inflamed, they may fill with mucus and cause sinus pain.
The discomfort from sinus pain can disrupt your life and make every day a struggle. Fortunately, you can find long-term relief from the pain with the proper treatment.
Keep reading to learn more about sinus pain, its causes, and effective treatment options that can help ease your pain.
What is Sinus Pain?
Your sinuses are air-filled spaces in your head connected to your nasal passages. Sometimes, the membranes that line your sinuses can become inflamed and swollen due to infections, allergies, structural differences, and other factors.
The inflammation can block your sinuses, trapping mucus, which can then cause sinus pressure and pain. Sinus pain is usually constant and can be on one or both sides of your head.
Depending on which sinuses are affected, you may experience various symptoms, including:
- Frontal sinuses: Headaches and forehead pain
- Maxillary sinuses: Pain in your cheeks, upper jaw, or upper teeth
- Ethmoid sinuses: Pain on the bridge of your nose and between your eyes
- Sphenoid sinuses: Pain along the back of your head, on top of your scalp, and behind your eyes
Sometimes, sinus pain may even radiate to your neck, causing neck pain. The area around your eyes, forehead, and cheekbones may also feel tender to the touch.
Sinus pain is often described as a dull ache, deep pain, or throbbing pain and can range from minor irritation to intense pain. Usually, bending over, blowing your nose, coughing, lying down, straining, and moving your head quickly may worsen the pain.
Abrupt temperature changes can also intensify the pain, so going outside after being indoors may cause discomfort. Additionally, sinus pain tends to be more severe in the morning after you wake up.
What Causes Sinus Pain?
Common triggers of sinus pain include:
Sinus Infections
A sinus infection is inflammation of the tissue lining your sinuses. It can be caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection.
Sinuses produce mucus that captures germs, dirt, allergens, and other infection-causing particles. The mucus constantly flows out of the sinuses to the back of the throat and down to the stomach, removing harmful bacteria.
Sometimes, bacteria, viruses, or fungi may get past this protective barrier, causing inflammation of the lining of your sinuses. The inflammation or swelling can cause mucus to accumulate instead of draining normally.
Consequently, a buildup of mucus can block your sinuses, resulting in the sinus pressure and pain you feel around your face. In addition, inflamed and swollen tissues can exert pressure on the nerve endings around your sinuses, causing a dull or throbbing pain.
Allergies
Allergies can also cause sinus pain. When exposed to allergens like pollen, mold, or dust mites that trigger allergies, the immune system responds by making the sinus tissues swell and increasing mucus production.
The swelling interferes with normal drainage, trapping mucus in the sinuses and obstructing them.
Blocked sinuses cause pressure to build up inside, leading to headaches and pain in and around your face.
Nasal Polyps
Polyps are soft, sac-like, non-cancerous growths that can form on the lining of your nose or sinuses. Smaller polyps may not cause any issues.
However, if polyps grow large enough, they can block your sinuses, preventing mucus from flowing correctly. If your sinuses become blocked due to polyps, you may feel sinus pressure and pain.
Deviated Septum
A deviated septum occurs when the septum or thin wall that divides your nose into two cavities is off-center. As a result, one nasal passage becomes smaller than the other.
A crooked septum can prevent mucus from draining freely from the sinuses into the nasal cavity, providing the perfect environment for bacteria and viruses to grow and multiply. In turn, this may result in chronic inflammation, which triggers sinus pain and discomfort.
Sinus Pain Treatment
Various treatment options available at Southern Indiana ENT can provide long-term relief from sinus pain, including:
Balloon Sinuplasty
Balloon sinuplasty is an effective and safe sinus pain treatment. During the minimally invasive procedure, your ENT specialist will guide a flexible balloon catheter through each nostril one at a time into the inflamed sinuses.
Once in position, they inflate the balloon to widen the sinuses permanently. Your ENT specialist will flush out any collected mucus in your sinuses using a saline solution.
Then, they’ll deflate and remove the balloon. The enlarged sinuses stay open, which restores normal drainage and relieves pressure that causes sinus pain.
ClariFix Cryotherapy
ClariFix is a device that uses a cooling probe to deliver cold liquid nitrogen to the back of your nose, where the posterior nasal nerve (PNN) is located. When out-of-balance or hyperactive, this nerve contributes to inflammation.
During treatment, the ClariFix device freezes PNN, temporarily disrupting signals that cause inflammation. The interruption of signals from PNN relieves inflammation and pain. It typically takes two to six weeks to experience improvements in your symptoms.
VIVAER®
VIVAER® is a stylus or handheld device that uses controlled radiofrequency energy to permanently shrink and reshape soft tissue and cartilage in your nasal valve. Remodeling the nasal valve opens up the area, allowing you to breathe better.
The procedure offers lasting relief from congestion and sinus pain. You’ll experience immediate improvement in your breathing after VIVAER®.
Don’t Let Sinus Pain Run Your Life
Persistent sinus pain doesn’t have to affect your daily life. With best-in-class treatment options from Southern Indiana ENT, you can find long-term relief from sinus pain and live better.
Do you have lingering sinus pain? Schedule your appointment today at Southern Indiana ENT at one of our convenient locations in Columbus, Seymour, Franklin, and Greenwood, IN! It’s time to do something about your pain.