Why do I Have Sinus Headaches in the Morning?

When you have sinus headaches in the morning, you’re starting your day off on a rough note. But when you have morning sinus headaches for a week straight, that discomfort can add up quickly, leaving you chronically tired and in pain. Discover the common causes of sinus headaches in the morning and what you can do to treat them.

Note: It’s very common for patients to mistake sinus headaches in the morning with migraines. If you have “sinus headaches” without congestion or other sinus symptoms, take a moment to check out our post on the differences between migraine tension headaches and sinus headaches.

Why do I have a headache when I wake up?

Why do we have sinus headaches in the morning? It’s not like your headache has to get up and go to work like you do! Here are a few common morning sinus headaches causes:

Obstructive sleep apnea: OSA is the obstruction of your airway due to a collapsed upper airway. Sinus issues can compound and contribute to sleep apnea, as well as snoring. The concurrent headache comes from arteries expanding in the confined spaces in your skull as they attempt to bring more oxygen (via increased blood flow) to the brain. This type of headache typically resolves within a few hours after waking, once normal breathing has resumed.

Allergies & rhinitis: Our beds may be a refuge for us to come home to after a long day, but they’re also a haven for allergies, which can easily get trapped in our mattress and sheets. If your allergies are triggered when you hit the sack, your nose may become engorged with blood, which in turn activates the trigeminal nerve and produces a headache.

Other causes: Chronic morning headaches aren’t necessarily sinus headaches. Frequent morning headaches may also be signs of bruxism (grinding your teeth), insomnia, or hypnic headaches (also called “alarm clock” headaches).

What if my sinus headaches in the morning aren’t recurrent or chronic?

Sinus headaches in the morning don’t have to be a regular occurrence to still be a pain. These headaches may be caused by regular ‘ole sinus pressure, including barometric pressure sinus headaches. If you live in Houston, you also have high humidity to contend with. Read more at:  
Can high humidity cause headaches?

How do I stop morning sinus headaches?

Are sinus headaches in the morning dragging down your day? Have you tried OTC painkillers, irrigation, decongestants, and everything else on our how to prevent sinus headaches list, all to no avail? If so, it’s definitely time to seek professional help.

At Kaplan Sinus Relief, our team of professionals is here to put your morning sinus headaches to bed. Permanently. We can treat an array of sinus conditions, but we specialize in the minimally invasive sinus procedure known as balloon sinuplasty — now available with IV sedation.

Balloon sinuplasty restores your sinuses’ natural drainage pathways and can help you find relief from sinus headaches in the morning and other underlying issues (including sleep apnea, snoring, allergies, and rhinitis).

For more information on this revolutionary treatment, call 713-766-1818 or request an appointment online today!

Related Resources:

• The Allergy Count in Houston: What it Means
• Is Having Allergies After Sinus Surgery Possible?
• Pursuing Sinus Surgery for Allergies
• Sinus Infections and Flying
• Your Sinus Doctor in Houston

Reader’s Mail: What’s Up with Morning Headache?

News to Know, Reader’s Mail

Q: I wake with a headache every morning and go to bed with a headache. When I wake in the morning I always seem to have congestion at the back of my nose. I’m being treated for sinus headache with decongestants and antihistamines but symptoms never go away.  This has been going on for 3 years and I’m not sure what to do next.

A: Headaches that occur when you wake up in the morning could be caused by several things.

First, the nasal congestion you are experiencing could produce sleep apnea. If you cannot breathe through your nose at night then you are likely “mouth breathing” and snoring becomes more likely. Snoring is often associated with sleep apnea particularly if you are sleepy during the day. Your physician could order a sleep study to diagnose this if the above symptoms apply to you.

Second, you could be suffering from rhinitis, which could trigger headaches in some people. If your nose becomes engorged with blood upon lying down this could activate the trigeminal nerve in your nose and produce headache. This could be relieved by a variety of medications prescribed by your physicians.

Third, you could be experiencing hypnic headaches. These are headaches that wake people from sleep- usually in the middle of the night. These can be treated by a headache physician.

Fourth, migraine- particularly chronic migraine- can cause headaches upon wakening. These headaches could be diagnosed and treated by your primary care physician or a specialist in headache disorders.

Fifth, cluster headaches commonly occur at night and often awaken patients from sleep. These headaches always occur on the same side of the head, are severe and only last 30 minutes to 3 hours. They also commonly have tearing of the eye or running of the nose on the same side as the headache.

Sixth, headaches related to pseudotumor can occur at night and worsen with lying down. Pseudotumor headaches result from increases in the pressure of spinal fluid within the head. They can be suspected by your physician by noting swelling of the optic nerve upon examination and later confirmed by a spinal tap. These headaches also have specific treatments.

Therefore, your first step would be to obtain a diagnosis for your morning headaches.  If you are having problems I would suggest that you consult a headache physician in your area.

Vincent Martin, MD
Headache and Facial Pain Program
University of Cincinnati Neuroscience Institute
Cincinnati, OH

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Why does my head hurt in the morning: 5 common causes

Health

May 19, 2019

Sometimes it’s not just a couple of drinks before bed.

1. Trouble sleeping

Sleep apnea

In this disorder, breathing becomes very shallow or even stops briefly during sleep. Symptoms of sleep apnea are snoring and frequent headaches in the morning.

You may have this problem if you:

• often wake up during the night;
• feel sleepy during the day;
• sweat a lot while sleeping;
• snore.

Sleep apnea can be a sign of more serious conditions, including heart problems and high blood pressure. If you notice these signs in yourself, see your doctor.

Lack of sleep

Experts advise adults to sleep 7-8 hours a day. According to the American Association for the Study of Headache, pain worsens if you sleep less than 6 or more than 8.5 hours.

Here are some tips to help improve the quality of your sleep.

• Go to bed and get up at the same time.
• Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. They disturb sleep.
• Try not to stimulate your brain before going to bed: don’t watch TV or surf the Internet.
• Engage in something soothing, such as meditation.
• Keep a list of what helps you sleep well and what hinders you.
• Create a comfortable sleeping environment. The room should be dark and quiet.
• Take a bath to relax before bed.
• Exercise regularly.

2. Depression and anxiety disorder

Mood disorders often lead to chronic headaches. Naturally, this negatively affects the quality of life. In addition, depression and anxiety are often accompanied by insomnia.

Scientists have discovered a link between affective disorders and headaches. They analyzed data from 6,000 participants from different European countries, and it turned out that abuse headaches are most often associated with depression and anxiety. It arises from excessive use of painkillers. In second place is tension headache, in third place is migraine.

Nikita Zhukov

neurologist-epileptologist, author of the books “Moditsina” and “Moditsina². Apologia, creator of the Encyclopatia resource.

It is considered safe to take NSAIDs for headaches no more than every other day. More frequent use already suggests that such a headache tends to become chronic. Painkillers will not correct this situation in any way, they will only aggravate it by masking the true nature of the pain.

Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for mood disorders. Many of them help you sleep better, and some prevent migraines. Therefore, if you notice signs of anxiety or depression in yourself, be sure to contact a specialist. Don’t try to heal yourself.

3. Alcohol and psychotropic substances

Researchers studied the relationship between headache and alcohol use by analyzing data from 19,000 participants from different countries. Those who drank more than six drinks a day were more likely to suffer from morning headaches than those who drank only one or two drinks.

Headaches are also more common in those who take psychotropic drugs – Xanax, Valium, Zyprexa, which are often used to treat depression, anxiety and insomnia. Such study participants experienced morning headaches 7–17% more often.

4. Bruxism

People with this disorder clench and grind their teeth hard during sleep. Sometimes this unconsciously repeats itself during the day. Bruxism is a movement disorder and causes severe headaches. It also increases the risk of sleep apnea.

Usually people are not aware that they grind their teeth in their sleep. The following symptoms will tell you that you have bruxism:

• loud grinding of teeth that wakes up someone who sleeps with you;
• chipped and cracked teeth for no apparent reason;
• soreness of the jaw or face;
• tired jaw muscles;
• Jaws do not open or close properly;
• pain in the ears;
• tooth sensitivity, toothache;
• inconsistent lesions on the inside of the cheeks;
• dull pain in the temples;
• sleep disorders;
• frequent headaches in the morning.

5.

Serious health problems

A headache can be a symptom of a serious health problem, including a brain tumor, injury, high blood pressure or stroke. Such a headache is called secondary.

Here are the situations when you should see a doctor.

1. Headache recurs twice a week or more often.
2. Before, my head didn’t hurt, but now it often hurts. This is especially dangerous if you are over 50.
3. There is a sharp, severe pain and stiffness in the neck.
4. Headache appeared after a head injury.
5. The headache is accompanied by high fever, nausea, vomiting, and this is not explained by another disease.
6. Headache accompanied by clouding or loss of consciousness, weakness, diplopia (seeing double).
7. The nature or intensity of the pain changes dramatically.
8. Chronic headaches appear in a child.
9. Headache accompanied by convulsions or shortness of breath.
10. Frequent headaches occur in those with HIV or cancer.