I Suffer From Sinus Headaches

Treatment For Sinus Headache Relief

Sinus Headache is experienced in the sinus and nose area. This type of headache is bilateral in nature, where symptoms are felt on both sides of the sinus, face and nose. Sinusitis, whether allergic, nonallergic or fungal, can cause changes in the pressure in the sinuses.

However, sinus infections themselves are often not the cause of the headache. Indeed, sinus infections will often trigger neck pain, which in turn causes the referred pain around the head and is the actual cause of the headache. In a 2019 study, researchers reported 84% of sinus headache sufferers reported neck pain associated with headaches.

We treat many sinus headache sufferers at the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ and we employ cutting-edge methods to determine whether your symptoms are stemming from your neck or brainstem. Once treatment starts, we expect a significant improvement to rapidly occur in 90% of our patients with sinus headaches and within the first 3 weeks of treatment consultations.

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Understanding your Headache

What are Sinuses?

Your sinuses are the hollow spaces found behind your forehead, cheeks and nose. They are named according to the area of the face they are located; the frontal sinuses are located in the forehead, the maxillary sinuses are located behind your cheeks, the sphenoid sinuses are located just behind your eyes and the ethmoid sinuses are located behind your nose. They form a network of cavities that allows air-flow and the drainage of mucus that helps to prevent infections and the introduction of pathogens into the body [1].

Your sinuses can often get inflamed as a result of allergic reactions, bacterial infection or viral infection. This sinus inflammation can cause increased mucus production in your sinuses, resulting in a painful sinus blockage commonly referred to as sinus congestion or nasal congestion. Nasal congestion can also be caused by a deviated septum or nasal polyps (swelling in the nasal passages). This sinus pain can be felt in the forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks or even teeth.

What is Sinusitis?

Sinusitis is a condition characterised by inflammation or swelling of the tissue lining the sinuses, which are the air-filled cavities in the bones of the face and skull around the nose. Sinusitis can be acute (short-term) or chronic (lasting longer than 12 weeks).

Acute sinusitis is often caused by a viral infection, such as the common cold, and may also be triggered by bacterial infections. Symptoms of sinusitis include:

Facial pain or pressure
Nasal congestion
Thick nasal discharge
Postnasal drip
Cough
Fatigue
Fever
Reduced sense of smell or taste

Chronic sinusitis may be caused by various factors, including infections, nasal polyps, deviated nasal septum, or allergies. Symptoms of chronic sinusitis are similar to those of acute sinusitis but may be milder and persist for an extended period with more frequent headaches.

Sinus Headache Prevention

Symptoms of Sinus Headache vs Migraine

The pressure and pain of a sinus headache can closely resemble a migraine, leading many people to believe they have sinus headaches when, in reality, their symptoms suggest otherwise. In fact, what seems to fit the diagnostic criteria is often not a sinus headache but a migraine headache with sinus-like symptoms. While both conditions cause facial pain and discomfort around the forehead, nose, and eyes, understanding the key differences is essential for choosing the right treatment for sinus headaches.

Sinus Headache Symptoms

Pressure and pain around the forehead, cheeks, or nasal cavity
Blocked or runny nose with thick nasal discharge
Facial tenderness that worsens when bending forward or lying down
Sinus congestion and swollen nasal passages
No sensitivity to light, sound, or strong smells

Migraine Symptoms

Throbbing or pulsating headache pain, usually on one side of the head
Sensitivity to light, sound, or strong smells
Nausea and vomiting
Aura symptoms, such as flashing lights or visual disturbances
Pain worsens with movement, rather than with changes in head position

Many people assume they have sinus headaches when their symptoms actually indicate a migraine attack triggered by sinus inflammation. Research has shown that up to 90% of self-diagnosed sinus headaches are actually migraines. If you frequently experience sinus pressure and pain, but also have migraine-like symptoms, it’s crucial to seek an accurate diagnosis for effective treatment for sinus headaches or migraine management strategies.

What is the cause of Sinus Headache?

The common belief is that most sinus headaches happen as a result of respiratory infections like a cold or flu, or allergies such as hay-fever. An infection inside the sinus (sinus infection) results in headache and migraine-like pain. When an allergen, such as dust or pollen, enters the body, the nasal cavity and sinuses sense this as a threat or pathogen. This threat is detected by the trigeminal nerve, passing that information on to ‘superior salivatory nucleus’, which proceeds to fill the sinus with excess mucus, so that the pathogen or allergen is removed out the nose or digested when swallowed. The pressure that can develop is what is experienced as a headache or migraine [2].

In the patients that we see with sinus headaches, they are found to have dysfunction in the upper cervical spine, resulting in a sensitised brainstem that we can use to reproduce their headaches. Those that have this sensitised brainstem will also have an over-sensitive trigeminal nerve. Activity that was previously not perceived as a threat by the trigeminal nerve is now triggering sinusitis. This overreaction can now cause subsequent infection due to the increase in bacteria-dense mucus in the sinuses and nasal cavity. From here, frequent and recurrent sinus headaches can be triggered [3].

Organise Your Initial Assessment

About The Assessment Stage

What To Expect During The Assessment

1. Comprehensive and in-depth examination

We will perform a thorough and in-depth examination to identify all of the factors that may be related to your headaches and migraines. We will focus particularly on your upper cervical spine in our assessment.

2. Ligamental stability and vertebral arterial tests

In order to ensure the highest level of safety is maintained, we routinely will assess the stability of the important ligaments in your upper cervical spine, prior to any assessment or treatment.

3. Temporarily reproduce your headache and migraine symptoms

During our assessment and treatment process, we will be applying gentle and specific pressure to your upper cervical spine in order to temporarily reproduce your headache symptoms. This helps us to identify the specific cause of your headaches.

Sinus Headache – Quick Facts & FAQs

Exercising

Physical activity has been shown to improve general well-being and quality of life. With the correct training, exercises can improve muscular endurance and/or strength. You could try to add in simple exercises daily to improve your function.

Avoiding Triggers

Try to avoid certain foods, smells, environments and/or activities that have triggered your headaches in the past.

Reducing stress

Having stress in our lives can often cause muscular tension, typically along the neck and shoulder muscles. This can play a role in headaches. Finding relaxation strategies such as breathing techniques and/or doing things you enjoy doing are good ways of reducing stress.

What is a sinus headache?

A sinus headache is typically described as a dull, deep, pressure-like pain felt around the forehead, cheeks, or eyes. It is usually associated with inflammation of the sinus cavities, most often due to infection (sinusitis).

It is important to note that “true” sinus headaches are relatively uncommon. Research suggests that a significant percentage of people who believe they have sinus headaches may actually be experiencing migraines or cervicogenic headaches, as these conditions can produce similar patterns of facial pressure.

What causes a sinus headache?

True sinus headaches are caused by inflammation within the sinus cavities, often due to infection, allergies, or environmental irritants. This inflammation can lead to a build-up of pressure and fluid, resulting in localised facial pain.

When a sinus infection is not present, similar symptoms are often the result of referred pain from the upper neck. This can occur when the trigeminovascular system (the main pain pathway for the head and face) becomes sensitised.

Clinicians at Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ may use elements of the Watson Headache® Approach to assess whether dysfunction in the upper cervical spine is contributing to this sensitivity.

How to get rid of a sinus headache instantly?

There is no reliable way to resolve a sinus headache instantly, particularly if symptoms are related to infection or inflammation. Management depends on the underlying cause. If the headache is due to an active sinus infection, medical management such as decongestants or antibiotics may be required.

For recurrent “sinus” pressure where no infection is present, management focuses on reducing sensitivity within the underlying pain pathways and identifying the source of symptoms.

• Short-term management: May include hydration, steam inhalation, and resting in a neutral neck position
• Longer-term management: May involve determining whether the pain is sinus-related or referred from other structures

Clinicians at Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™ use the Watson Headache Approach to help differentiate between sinus-related pain and referred pain from the upper cervical spine, guiding more targeted care.

What does a sinus headache feel like?

A sinus headache is often described as a constant, deep pressure over the cheeks, forehead, or bridge of the nose. The pain may worsen with sudden head movements, coughing or when bending forward.

It is commonly accompanied by symptoms such as nasal congestion, facial fullness, or reduced sense of smell when related to sinus inflammation. Because similar symptoms can occur in migraine and cervicogenic headache, careful assessment is often required.

In some cases, facial pressure without clear sinus involvement may be linked to sensitivity within the upper cervical spine and associated neural pathways.

How to soothe a sinus headache?

Symptom relief may be supported by measures that promote drainage and reduce sinus pressure.

This can include:

• Steam inhalation and warm compresses over the face
• Maintaining consistent hydration
• Avoiding environmental irritants
• Addressing prolonged “forward head” posture, which may aggravate facial pressure

Where symptoms are persistent or recurrent, further assessment is recommended to determine the underlying cause.

At Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, management may include evaluation of the upper cervical spine using the Watson Headache Approach, particularly where symptoms suggest referred pain rather than primary sinus involvement. This helps guide care toward the underlying source of symptoms rather than temporary relief alone.

How Do I Know If I Have a Sinus Headache?

(Attacks fulfilling criteria A-C)

Location	Face, temple, nose, eyes and around the sinus region
Other characteristics	Causal relationship is supported by at least two of the following criteria: – The headache began around the same time as the onset of rhinosinusitis – One or both of the following are observed: * The headache has clearly intensified alongside worsening sinus inflammation * The headache has improved or disappeared as the rhinosinusitis resolved or improved – Applying pressure over the paranasal sinuses makes the headache worse – When the rhinosinusitis is one-sided, the headache is also located on the same side
Imaging	Confirmation of acute rhinosinusitis through clinical evaluation, nasal endoscopy, and/or imaging studies

I’ve tried everything! What else can be done to help my Sinus Headache?

Traditional Treatments for Sinus Headaches

There is no way to reliably 100% get rid of a sinus headache instantly. Many patients seeking sinus headache relief or sinus infection headache treatment have tried numerous approaches, including:

Pain relievers – Over-the-counter medications to alleviate headache pain and facial pressure.fina
Decongestants & antihistamines – Used to manage nasal congestion caused by sinus infections or allergies.
Nasal sprays & rinsing – Techniques like saline nasal spray or neti pots help clear the nasal passages.
Air humidifiers & steam inhalation – Moisture can help loosen mucus and relieve sinus pressure.
Sinus surgery – In severe cases of chronic sinusitis, procedures may be performed to clear sinus blockage.

While these treatments may offer temporary relief, they often do not address the underlying cause of persistent sinus headaches. Additionally, frequent use of nasal decongestants can sometimes lead to medication overuse headaches.

I’ve tried it all, is there anything else that can help relieve sinus pain?

Our Treatment for Sinus Headaches

At the Gold Coast Headache and Migraine Clinic™, we take a different approach by assessing the upper cervical spine and sensitised brainstem to determine whether they are the true source of your sinus headache symptoms.

If we identify that dysfunction in these areas is contributing to your headaches, treatment can begin immediately. Our methods are:

Safe & Gentle – We use non-invasive, hands-on techniques to restore function.
Medication-Free – No reliance on pharmaceuticals to achieve lasting relief.
Rapid & Effective – Most patients see significant improvements within 5-6 treatment sessions, with 85-90% success rates.

If your sinus headaches are not responding to conventional treatments, book an assessment today to explore a long-term solution.

What our clients have said

Excellent

4.9

Andrea Duffy

After being diagnosed with Sunct Trigeminal Neuralgia I was seeking treatment without drugs. After 2 months of treatments with Kevin I'm now pain free. Well worth the effort for a fantastic result, thanks team.

Sarah Jane

Seeing Doug & the team at BHMC has really changed my life, and I’m really grateful for the ongoing care and support. I used to think I had bad vertigo & I would feel dizzy and faint and light headed and nauseous all day everyday and couldn’t work, couldn’t do housework, couldn’t walk my dog, could barely stay standing to shower all because I had been walking around with an unaligned c2 &c3 in my neck due to years of bad posture and constantly hunching over at my desk at work or my head down looking at my phone all day. Migraines 2-3 times a week, constantly feeling pressure in my head and sharp pain, unable to sleep a full nights sleep, and not reacting well at all to prescription medications like valium, replax, and others. I finally got health insurance and headed into BHMC and in the 1st consultation, I was advised of a detailed diagnosis and knew I was in the right place to get help. I’d been struggling everyday for over a year with migraines, had to quit jobs, and was mentally struggling due to these physical symptoms, it was awful. I really wish i’d gone to get physio sooner! Please go and see BHMC, I have been in physio for less than 6 months (probably 10-15 appointments) and have never felt better and more stable. If you go here, try the sessions, buy the pillow, sit up straight, do the exercises, I promise you’ll be better off! Doug has been amazing & so professional, he really knows what hes doing. All the office team is lovely as well!

Samuel Cox

I have been seeing Dr. Woo for about 6 months now and he has been helping me manage my migraines fantastically. I used to get on average 2 migraines a month, now I have gone 4 months with no migraines. The cause of my migraines was very quickly diagnosed and its clear the team here prioritise the goal of self management, not the reliance on medication and continuous appointments. Can recommend to anyone who suffers from Chronic Migraines, it may well be a life changer for you.

Han Wang

My headache problem has been lasting for many years and I suffer from it more frequently from the last 18 months. The quality of my life before treatment was affected tremendously. I simply couldn't enjoy lots of activities when headache attacks occur. I started my headache treatment from the last few weeks and it has been very effective. It is very obvious to how I feel around my neck before and after the treatment. I haven't had any headache episode since. I highly recommend this clinic and the physician named Douglas. He is courteous, gentle, very caring and most amazingly very knowledgeable and skillful. He was able to diagnose my headache issue and provide detailed explainations about my treatment plan and future preventative guidance. I wish I had found this clinic earlier and for anyone who is suffering from headaches you should definitely give it a go. Overall it's a nice and clean clinic, easy public transport and parking. Helpful and friendly admin staff too. Thank you Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic Sunnybank Hills.

Celeste Cover

My healthy 7yr old son out of blue started having debilitating migraines about a year ago. Being a nurse I ensured we ruled out anything nasty by doing MRI and seeing specialist. But we kept getting no definitive answer as to why they were reoccuring. Being so young treatment options are limited until 12yrs of age and every episode we would end up at the emergency department with then specialist follow up appointments. Something had to change. I then came across a fellow work colleague (GP) whom referred me to Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. My son has been seeing David now at the spring hill clinic for over 2mnths, where he has worked absolute wonders. My son has had no episodes of a migraine to date yet. David also ensure he educates his clients during the appointment, follows up with exercises and resources for you to use at home as well, easy management plans and a diary to track and see patterns as to why a migraine maybe triggered. I would highly recommend these clinics to anyone suffering. The amount of knowledge and expertise by the staff is amazing. I will always be praising them for the help with my son.

Sahan Amarasena

I have been seeing Sascha for about 3 weeks now. Thanks to Sascha, I have gone from 4-5 headaches a week to being headache free for over a week now. He is very knowledgeable and was quick to diagnose my problem. The treatment plan has been very clear and easy to follow at home. We have addressed all factors that are contributing to my headaches and I am confident of keeping my headaches under control thanks to the tools Sascha has taught me. Highly impressed with the team. They have been very professional, friendly and helpful throughout and been impressed with their customer service. Highly recommend these guys if you are someone who has been suffering with headache for a long time like myself.

Ana Uppman

Mattias and the staff at the clinic are wonderfully helpful and friendly. Mattias in particular helped me to manage chronic headaches and sinus effectively and naturally which has provided a huge amount of pain relief to me especially after so many years of discomfort. Thank you so much Mattias and staff.

Jesse Tamblyn

Diagnosed with Vestibular Neuritis, quickly turned into vestibular migraines of a hellish level. I was hallucinating constantly, pretty much 24/7 for a entire year. With no regular symptoms of a migraine other than extreme light sensitivity, my doctor ordered all the tests, nothing was helping. After a few sessions with Sasch I have zero symptoms and none of my previous triggers are triggering any hallucinations/migraines. Sasch is increadibly skilled at what he does and is very passionate about his clients. I am forever in a debt of gratitude.

kynan jones

I have had cluster headaches on and off for two years now and have had no clue what to do about it, I stumbled across Brisbane migraine and headache clinic, decided to give it a go and I could not be happier with the results from Mattias. My symptoms have dropped by an easy 90% and I can enjoy my days again. Thank you Mattias and thank you Brisbane migraine and headache clinic.

Carter Bennett

So far my treatment at the Headache and Migraine clinic has been very helpful. As someone who experiences migraines often enough, I can say with confidence that after only a few months of treatment with practictioner Mattias, the frequency and severity has been reduced. Still a ways to go till Im migraine free, but I can say with confidence that this very interesting form of treatment works.

ARCHANACHOWDARY NALLAPANENI

David is really wonderful and he is a magician. I've been suffering from migraine headaches for past three years after I met David, and his treatment is like a miracle. I've been on treatment for five weeks now and haven't had any headaches. Thank you heaps David

Rachel de Vera

Best place to overcome your headache pain. This clinic will give you treatment to make your life free from migraine.

Luke Shanley

Ariel from Brisbane Migraine & Headache clinic was the only person that actually helped with my migraines. After seeing doctors & neurologists to no avail i decided to give it a go. I'm able to see friends, nieces & nephews again and working full time. This seemed impossible just over 2 months ago when I first started treatment. Gave me my life back.

Danielle Raftopoulos

I've seen Ariel for neck, back and knee pain/ injuries in the past. She does an excellent job with releasing muscles through dry needling and acupuncture which has relieves pain. Ariel provides exercises to do at home which are helpful. I've also seen all the other physios at the clinic. Highly recommend it.

Pawan Sandhu

I was suffering with bad migraine from last 13 years. Then I heard about Brisbane headache centre. I consulted with Dominic he is very professional and nice Physio. He find out the triggers and started my treatment since i seen him first till now I haven't had any headaches. I highly recommend people if you suffering with headache and migraine please go and consult with the team. Thanks Dominic.

Brooke O'kell

I have had an amazing experience with Ariel at the clinic. I went there in horrific pain after been diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and I was taking 12 nerve pain tablets a day. The clinic was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad I gave them a try because now after a couple of months I am pain free and down to one nerve tablet a day. It's hard to explain really how grateful I really am now to be spending Christmas with my family pain free after not been able to leave the house without crying in pain. I'm would give them 100 stars if I could and I've already recommended Ariel to some friends who suffer migraines. Thank you for everything Ariel your an amazing and lovely lady who really changed my life.

Cathy Biles

I have suffered from migraines for 30 years and I have found that the treatment that I am having at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic is the most effective way I’ve found in preventing a migraine. I have been having treatment with Mattias for around 4 months, and at this stage I still do get some migraines, but they are getting a lot less frequent than they were before I started having treatment. Mattias is very understanding and explains each step of the treatment very thoroughly.

Candy Beanland

Dominic is a very polite person who has helped me a great deal with my migraine headaches. I am very grateful to him.

Emma Zonca

I've had a great experience being treated by Dominic. I was recently diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia and my symptoms have now massively reduced. The care and education I have received have been excellent. All staff have been welcoming and very lovely to deal with since my first appointment. I highly recommend Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic.

Ebony Smith

I've been receiving treatment from Mattias for a little over two months now and I cannot recommend this practice enough!!! I have been struggling with Migraine headaches and terrifying aura symptoms for 10+ years and have tried absolutely everything (from medications, diets, all sorts of treatments and multiple specialist/neurologist appointments) in order to eliminate, ease or simply manage the pain. Thank you to Mattias and the wonderful team at Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for listening to my struggles with pain, understanding my issues, applying the right treatment that my body was receptive to...and most importantly.... they gave me a free jar of mints! What a DEAL! 10/10 recommend.

Cassandra Guse

2 months ago debilitating migraines were driving me crazy - and I finally snapped and called this clinic after 3 years of spending most of my spare time just resting and re-habbing my head and neck between work. I started treatments with Dominic immediately. And I am amazed to report that I haven't had a migraine since! I wish I had done it years earlier. Dominic is pleasant, thorough, very knowledgeable and holistic in his advice, picking up on things which seem unrelated but were likely contributing to my headaches - and explains everything every step of the way. I can't recommend him highly enough.

Laura O'hearn

I have only been seeing Dominic from Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic for three weeks, but the change in my migraines has been dramatic. I have struggled with chronic migraines for over 20 years and I did not find daily medication helpful in controlling them. I wish I had known about Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic sooner as this has been a life-changing experience.

Paul Hewitt

There could not be too much praise for the services and results produced at this Centre . I was suffering clusters of migraines and other neck pain. Went to Doctor, more medication! Decided there has to be a better way. Googled the Headache and Migraine Centre, met with Mattias, and Helen , a few visits and the relief was significant . Small business could take a lesson from their efficiency as well, Admin staff are all over everything, helping you to make appointment times that suit you. If you had or having similar issues to mine..........Just go there .

Chimorne Bekker

Special thanks to Dominic for treating me at the Brisbane Headache and Migraine Clinic. I have had roughly 11 sessions at the clinic and have been headache & migraine free for two weeks today. This may not seem very long, but it is for someone who experiences an attack every second day. My treatment is still ongoing, but the results are already promising. I also have to mention that Dominic was the first specialist to notice that my C2-C3 cervical vertebrae were rotated/disturbed and recommended that we realign the vertebrae and desensitise my brain stem. This was a relief as specialists in the past have diagnosed me with anything from ethmoid sinusitis and occipital neuralgia to labelling it as “psychosomatic“. I would highly recommend anyone suffering from migraines/headaches to arrange a consultation with Dominic.

Megan Tilley

After about 5 weeks of constant headaches, in complete desperation I contacted BHMC and within 4 sessions with Mathias, my headaches significantly reduced in severity and duration. Highly recommended!

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