Pointing out that headaches can have more than 500 different causes, Op. Dr. Ümit Filiz said that sinusitis is only one of them.

Op. Dr. Ümit Filiz, a specialist in Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) diseases at Private ENTO Ear, Nose and Throat Surgical Medical Center, stated that the common assumption in society that “I have a headache, so I must have sinusitis” is not a correct approach. He emphasized that a headache alone is not sufficient to diagnose sinusitis.

Filiz explained that all of the patient’s symptoms should be evaluated together in order to reach an accurate diagnosis, saying, “It is important not to automatically attribute a headache to sinusitis. It may be sinusitis, but there may also be many different underlying causes of a headache. What matters is to consider the patient’s other symptoms as well and reach the correct diagnosis.”

When asked, “Does every sinusitis patient have a headache?”, Filiz answered, “No,” and noted that symptoms involving the nose and upper respiratory tract are more prominent in sinusitis than headaches. Stating that headaches are seen in only a portion of sinusitis patients, Filiz said, “Headache is a symptom we see in approximately one out of every 8 to 10 patients. Therefore, having a headache does not necessarily mean that you have sinusitis.”

KEY SYMPTOMS OF SINUSITIS

Filiz stated that the main symptoms of sinusitis include nasal congestion, postnasal drip, phlegm, a persistent tickling sensation in the throat, the constant need to clear the throat, and coughing. He emphasized that the presence of several of these symptoms together is important for diagnosis.

Pointing out that some types of pain in the head and facial area may be related to the sinuses, Filiz said that pain experienced particularly during air travel and diving should be taken into consideration.

He noted that recurring headaches, as well as pain in the face, forehead, or head during airplane takeoffs and landings or while diving, may indicate a sinus-related problem. He recommended consulting an ENT specialist if such symptoms recur.

THE CAUSE OF THE HEADACHE SHOULD BE PROPERLY INVESTIGATED

Stating that headaches can have many different causes, Filiz emphasized that patients should not diagnose themselves and that their symptoms should be evaluated as a whole.

“Headache alone is not sufficient to diagnose sinusitis. We need to determine whether the patient also has symptoms such as nasal congestion, postnasal drip, coughing, or phlegm. In addition, when the headache occurs, how long it lasts, what situations make it worse, and whether there could be a neck tumor are also important in terms of diagnosis,” he said.

Filiz stressed that prolonged or recurrent headaches should always be evaluated. He added that an ENT examination may be beneficial, particularly when headaches are accompanied by symptoms involving the nose and upper respiratory tract.

https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/yerel-haberler/izmir/basim-agriyor-acaba-sinuzit-miyim-43289663