Chiropractic and Sinus Headaches

Sinus headaches are a type of pain that occurs in the head, usually around the face. The human head has four pairs of sinuses, two of which are well-known: the frontal (forehead) and maxillary (cheekbones). The other two sinuses, ethmoid and sphenoid, are less understood. Many people ask chiropractors about sinus problems because they have experienced a stuffy nose due to a cold and felt pain in their face and head. Those who have suffered from sinus infections know how painful sinusitis can be. This month, let’s take a closer look at our sinuses and what we can do to manage the problem ourselves.

First, let’s review some anatomy. There are four paired sets of sinuses in our head: maxillary, frontal, ethmoidal, and sphenoidal. Maxillary sinuses cause pain or pressure in the cheekbones, sometimes referring pain to the teeth. They drain sideways; if you lay on your side, the side up drains down into the downside maxillary sinus and into the nose. Frontal sinuses cause pain or pressure in the forehead. They drain downward when we’re upright and looking straight ahead. Ethmoidal sinuses cause pain or pressure between and/or behind the eyes. They drain when we lean forward. Sphenoidal sinuses cause pain or pressure behind the eyes, top of the head, and/or back of the head (which can be extreme). They drain best when lying face pointing down towards the floor but can be stubborn to drain.

Sinusitis, also known as rhinosinusitis, is an inflammation of the sinus lining (mucous membrane) and is classified as follows: acute – a new infection that can last up to four weeks and is divided into two types: severe and non-severe; recurrent acute – four or more separate acute episodes within one year; subacute – an infection lasting 4-12 weeks; chronic – infections lasting more than 12 weeks; and acute exacerbation of chronic sinusitis – recurring bouts of chronic sinusitis.