They'd tell me, 'I've got these darn sinus headaches,' and while some of the symptoms certainly were consistent with sinus headaches, they had other symptoms, too. Schreiber recruited 30 patients, ages 18 to 65, who said they had sinus headaches but had never been diagnosed with a migraine. After a review of their medical histories and clinical examinations, the patients evaluated their own headache pain, then filled out a questionnaire rating how happy they were with their current treatment. We also found in this group of patients that they had sinus symptoms. The problem may have been a nerve in the forehead, cheeks and jaw, Schreiber says.
Migraine causes inflammation of the nerves and blood vessels in the head.
In the typical migraine headache, the upper branches of the nerve, which supply the coverings of the brain, are involved, and head pain is the predominant symptom. Schreiber presented his findings this week at the 53rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Philadelphia. Migraines affect about 28 million Americans, yet only 48 percent of patients have been diagnosed with the ailment, reports the International Headache Society. What To Do For more information on migraines, check the American Academy of Neurology and the Journal of the American Medical Association's Migraine Information Center . And read these HealthScout stories on migraines .