- One of the most common misdiagnoses is chronic sinusitis and migraine
- The primary cause of migraine is still unknown
- 99% of patients were misdiagnosed at primary care or in the emergency room
Migraines are often misdiagnosed and have very similar symptoms to other conditions.
One of those conditions is chronic sinusitis and is also known as nose inflammation. Research has shown that there a potential for chronic sinusitis to trigger the onset of migraines.
According to WebMD, one particular study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain reveals one of the most common misdiagnoses is sinusitis and migraines, especially if there are affiliated symptoms, such as sinus headache, dry sinus headache or a severe sinus headache. The study concluded that out of 113 participants, 106 of them — or roughly 81% — were misdiagnosed.
“Sinus headaches are a referred pain caused by inflammation and blockage of a sinus cavity, which is causing those nerves to fire, and it transmits the pain in the patient’s facial area,” Dr. Manish Khanna of Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Gateway Reporter. “Now, whether it’s behind the cheeks, whether it’s in the forehead and the temples, it’s really anywhere in the head, depending on which sinuses are involved. You want to treat the sinus so that headache goes away.”
According to the American Migraine Foundation, both migraine attacks and sinus headaches can cause facial pain, watery eyes, and postnasal drip. These shared symptoms contribute to the misdiagnosis and self-diagnosis of sinusitis.
The primary cause of migraine headaches is still unknown. One study from The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery was conducted to determine the correlation between sinusitis and migraines, only to report that further investigation and a clinic trial is necessary.
A study completed by the University of Michigan found that 99% of 114 participants were misdiagnosed as having chronic sinusitis when their diagnosis came from the emergency department of a hospital or their primary care physician. This indicates the best diagnosis comes from an inflammation specialist, or otolaryngologist.
To learn more about sinusitis or to take a sinus self-assessment quiz, visit Capitol Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers.
