Headaches, Facial Pain, Sinusitis
Inflammation of the lining in the nose can lead to the sinuses becoming blocked. When this happens it can lead to a feeling of pressure either above, below, behind or in-between the eyes. Some people describe this as facial pain or headaches. If the cause of the pain is due to sinusitis (sinus lining inflammation) then most people also experience nasal blockage as the lining in the nose is continuous with the lining in the sinuses and both are affected.
If medications do not help someone’s symptoms then surgery may be necessary to improve sinus functioning (see FESS). Commonly, nasal polyps are present together with sinusitis (see nasal polyps). Some people experience facial pain without any evidence of sinusitis. ENT surgeons are starting to understand this more and more. Treatment is available to this specific group of patients who are not helped by nasal steroids. Thorough assessment of the problem is essential to avoid unnecessary treatment or operations.