Zyrtec seems useless. The past three days my long distance eyesight has been off a bit to where it is annoying.
Anybody else deal with sinus headaches? I cut out dairy (milk) 12 years ago and stopped with cheese this past spring. All that has helped.
Do I go to an eye doctor or family doctor?
Me too, to the point where they become like migraines. I use a neti pot, it helps somewhat. Ten years ago I got sinus surgery – horrible (there's a youtube video, which I would advise you not to watch) but the difference was like oem manifolds vs aftermarket headers. Ask your doctor to refer you to a (ear, nose, throat) specialist.
I find I get most of mine when I get dehydrated.
Me too.
Lesley wrote: Me too, to the point where they become like migraines. I use a neti pot, it helps somewhat. Ten years ago I got sinus surgery – horrible (there's a youtube video, which I would advise you not to watch) but the difference was like oem manifolds vs aftermarket headers. Ask your doctor to refer you to a (ear, nose, throat) specialist.
Yeah, I got sinus headaches, too. ~20 years ago, I had surgery. It was a miserable recovery, but holy hell, I could tell if someone was making microwave popcorn - a mile away!
Didn't you just loooove having the packing pulled out? 
racerfink wrote: I find I get most of mine when I get dehydrated.
I drank 4-5 20 ounce cups of water yesterday. I will make it a point to heavily hydrate tomorrow.
In reply to Lesley:
OMG, that was the worst part of it. I bent in half trying to get away from the pliers Dr used.
But it was worth it, in the end.
Yeah, I knew it wasn't gonna be fun when he said "Be brave". 
I always get sinus headaches, the crippling migraine type. The only way I can make them go away is with the drowsy type of sinus headache and flu meds. Sometimes the non-drowsy stuff works.
Sometimes they get so bad I want to take a drill to my temple and release the pressure.
Pete240Z wrote: Zyrtec seems useless. The past three days my long distance eyesight has been off a bit to where it is annoying.
Zyrtec is an Antihistamine, not a decongestant or pain reliever. Unless your headaches were allergy related it probably wouldn't have any effect at all. Wrong tool for the job I am afraid.
Possible sinus infection maybe?
Heat. Put a hot pack on your head/face. Wet a hand towel, put it in a gallon Zip-Lock bag and nuke it for 1-2 min.
Peppermint oil will do the same. Put it were it hurts. Inhale some under your nose. Vick's Vapo Rub or a Vick's inhaler will help, too.
I'd say after 4-5 days, it might be an infection.
Don't know if this is even mildly related but here goes. My 25 year old son has been having cyclical infections, about every 6 weeks. High fever, sore throat, some drainage etc. He went to Ear, nose & throat Dr where he was told he needed his tonsils removed. An MRI also confirmed a deviated septum which would not allow proper sinus drainage. As a result his sinuses were very infected. Last Wednesday the tonsils were removed, sinuses drained and temporary splints put in (will come out this Thursday) Well, the surgery went well but the recovery from the surgery has been anything but easy. Spent all day Sat in ER from severe dehydration (can't eat or drink). Overnite stay in the hospital got him feeling somewhat better. So I guess if you've been having sinus problems have you had an ENT look into your medical history?
A sinus headache is not a migraine headache. It can trigger a migraine, but it is not the same thing.
Headaches that effect vision need some professional evaluation. Headache doctors are called "Neurologists."
I totally understand your pain, trust me.
I have them almost continuously. I have chronic sinusitis. I used to do a lot of different things to try and reduce it, but nowadays I'm sorry to say I have much worse things to worry about, so I just live with it unless it's a really bad day.
I'm in the same boat as Bravenrace.
I've had them for years. Exercise helps me keep clear, but when the allergy season rolls around, if I don't keep myself doped up on antihistamines, my sinuses will back up and I will get an infection in the right sinuses, every time.
Brett_Murphy wrote: I'm in the same boat as Bravenrace. ... my sinuses will back up and I *will* get an infection in the right sinuses, every time.
Still on antibiotics while getting over one.
I used to get bi-annual sinus infections, I started using Flonase or Afrin to keep my sinuses from swelling shut. I never had a problem with drainage. Now I only get an infection every two or three years, because I get complacent.
Due to multiple sinus infections as a child, I get sinus headaches all the time now. What works for me? Plain ol' Dristan. If the headache persists, I top it off with Aleve (Naproxen, an anti-inflammatory). Seems to get the job done.
My sinuses are packed right now due to allergies. The big problem is, my eyes get involved too.. itching leads to swelling, which leads to me pulling loads of stringy gunk out of my eyes.
The big problem I have with my sinuses.. I have seen (and read) my medical history.. it is a family trait to have smaller and "Malformed" sinuses
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote: I always get sinus headaches, the crippling migraine type.
Migraines aren't headaches. They don't even always correlate to headaches.
Nothing worse than feeling fine, other than being blind or whatever for a few hours.
Dr. Hess wrote: A sinus headache is not a migraine headache. It can trigger a migraine, but it is not the same thing. Headaches that effect vision need some professional evaluation. Headache doctors are called "Neurologists."
Er, what he said.
Get it checked out. Many migraine treatments and preventatives exist and there is no reason to be suffering. Recent studies are showing that the earlier migraines are treated, the lower the number of future attacks.
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