San Diego doctor: ‘Addressing sinus headaches is something that can be done through some of our minimally invasive approaches’

• Chronic sinusitis affects 28.9 million American adults, or 11% of the adult population. 
• Symptoms of chronic sinusitis can include nasal inflammation, a runny nose, postnasal drainage, congestion, pain or swelling in the face, headaches, loss of smell and taste, a sore throat, bad breath, or fatigue. 
• Sinus headaches can cause facial pain, watery eyes, and post-nasal drip, similar to other kinds of headaches. 

Sinus headaches are a common symptom of sinusitis and can become quite debilitating. According to Dr. Paul Schalch Lepe of SoCal Breathe Free, sinus headaches can be addressed in several minimally invasive ways.

“Addressing sinus headaches is something that can be done through some of our minimally invasive approaches: restoring the normal anatomy, restoring those drainage pathway openings, or even connecting everything in a minimally invasive fashion while trying to not disrupt and affect all the underlying structures and not have some scar tissue or some healing process backfire and cause even bigger problems,” Dr. Schalch Lepe told the Coachella Valley Times.  “And that's what our minimally invasive techniques can do very well.”

Sinuses are air-filled spaces inside your forehead, cheekbones, and behind the bridge of your nose. When they get inflamed, usually because of an allergic reaction or an infection, they swell and produce more mucus, and the channels that drain them can become blocked, according to WebMD. The build-up of pressure in your sinuses causes pain that feels like a headache. It is important to figure out what kind of headache you are having so that the correct course of action can be taken to relieve your pain.

According to Healthline, headaches are common. Research estimates that 70 to 80 percent of people experience headaches, and about 50 percent experience them at least once a month. Allergies can be the source of some of those headaches, and allergies related to sinus disease can cause headaches as well.

If your headache gets worse when you bend over or lay down, that would be a sign of a sinus headache. Other symptoms include a deep and constant pain in your cheekbones, forehead, or the bridge of your nose, a stuffy nose, fatigue, and an achy feeling in the upper teeth. If headaches occur more than 15 days per month and OTC medicines are used frequently but help little, the Mayo Clinic recommends consulting a physician. 

For patients with sinus headaches, the goal is typically to relieve symptoms and treat any infections, according to WebMD. Antibiotics, antihistamines, or decongestants can be taken for a short time. Inhaled nasal decongestants can be taken, but only for up to three days. Longer use can worsen symptoms.

According to SoCal Breathe Free's website, Dr. Paul Schalch Lepe is an otolaryngologist and ENT doctor based in San Diego. His specialties include sinus, allergy, and sleep treatments. Dr. Schalch Lepe completed his residency in otolaryngology at UC Irvine Medical Center, affiliated with UC Irvine School of Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the School of Medicine at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City.