When sinuses throb and ache, you might think it’s a sinus headache. But migraines cause sinus pain, too. And although migraines are commonly located on only one side of your head, a headache that affects both sides can still be a migraine.

Location of pain often confuses people, says Mayo Clinic headache specialist Eric J. Eross of Scottsdale, Ariz. After evaluating 100 people who thought they had sinus headaches, Eross found that almost nine out of 10 people who thought they had sinus headaches actually had migraines, according to the study presented at the American Headache Society’s 46th Annual Scientific Meeting in Vancouver, BC (June 10-13, 2004).

People may mistake a migraine for a sinus headache when they also have a runny nose and watery eyes. But headache pain itself can trigger these symptoms. So can exposure to allergens, seasonal changes, and changes in the weather. It isn’t so much the weather as the change that causes the trouble, according to Marcelo E. Bigal, MD, PhD, director of research at the New England Center for Headache in Stamford, Conn. According to the study published by Bigel, the brains of migraine sufferers are extremely sensitive to change.

In Bigel’s study, 34 percent of migraine sufferers were sensitive to changes in temperature or humidity; 14 percent were sensitive to changing weather patterns; and 13 percent were sensitive to changes in barometric pressure. While a whopping 51 percent had weather-related symptoms, researchers say any change or fluctuation including changes in sleep patterns, hormone levels, or weather can trigger a migraine.

For relief, most headache sufferers take over-the-counter pain relievers or nonprescription antihistamines versus prescription drugs.

Try the needle for relief

New research confirms good results with acupuncture. Chronic headache sufferers had fewer and milder symptoms with acupuncture, according to the large randomized study reported in the British Medical Journal (March 14, 2004).

In the beginning of the study, researchers found little difference between acupuncture and conventional treatments. But by the end of the year-long trial, acupuncture worked much better, especially for migraines. Patients in the acupuncture group experienced the equivalent of 22 fewer days of headaches per year, used 15 percent less medication, made 25 percent fewer visits to general practitioners, and took 15 percent fewer sick days.
-Kathy Summers

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Information presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only. Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.

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