How would an ear nose and throat doctor treat headaches?
Headaches happen to all of us at some point. There could be many reasons for a headache that means it will quietly go away of its own accord. However, when headaches persist or are happening on a regular basis it is often a good idea to seek help. An ear, nose and throat doctor will have a great deal of experience in treating headaches. These are just some of the options that an ear, nose and throat doctor is likely to explore with you.
Tonsillitis
Although tonsillitis is a condition that we usually assume affects the throat (which it does) it can also be another reason for experiencing headaches. If you have tonsillitis related headache then you will also likely notice a number of other symptoms, including a sore throat and swollen tonsils. If tonsillitis is the reason for your headaches then an ear, nose and throat doctor can diagnose this with a brief examination and prescribe a course of treatment that will help clear up the source of the problems so that the headaches soon stop.
Problems with your sinuses
For many people, headaches are often caused when the air-filled cavities around your cheekbones, forehead and over the bridge of your nose become blocked. Problems with sinuses can mean that they become inflamed and swell up, which is the cause of the feeling of sinuses that are blocked. When inflammation happens it creates a feeling of pressure throughout your sinuses and it’s this that is responsible for headaches. The first step to treating this will be identifying what is causing your sinuses to become inflamed - some of the most frequent causes are infection, allergies or irritants.
An ear infection
Especially if your headache feels like it is affecting one side of your head more than the other an ear infection could be behind the discomfort. The most common cause of an ear infection is when fluid becomes trapped in the middle ear, after a virus or bacterial infection. If your headache is being caused by an ear infection then you may also have a range of other symptoms, including pain in your ear, as well as swelling around the ear, fever and fluid draining from your ear. While many ear infections will clear up eventually on their own, your ear, nose and throat doctor will also be able to help with treatment such as ear drops, antibiotics or even some simple pain relief. If your ear infection is stubborn and you’re experiencing it over a long period of time then there are other solutions available, such as fitting ear tubes to improve airflow in and out of the ear via surgery.
When we experience headaches we tend to assume that there is only one source of the problem. Tonsillitis, ear infections and issues with sinuses can be easily missed when it comes to identifying why you’re suffering from headaches. However, working with an ear, nose and throat doctor means that the full range of options is considered and treatment can be quickly prescribed. Read more about how we can help you with your headaches.
