How can I tell if I have a migraine headache or a sinus headache?

Sep 17, 2013

Sinus headaches are associated with sinus pressure, nasal congestion and can cause watery eyes. These symptoms often occur with migraines and therefore cause confusion amongst my patients. To find out if your headache is sinus or migraine, ask yourself these questions:

In addition to my sinus symptoms, do I have?

  1. Nausea
  2. Moderate to severe head pain
  3. Sensitivity to sound and light

If you answer “yes” to two or three of these questions, then most likely you have sinus migraine. A true sinus headache is rare and usually occurs due to sinus infection. In a sinus infection, you would also likely have a fever and thick nasal secretions. A sinus headache should go away with treatment of the sinus infection.

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