Have you ever felt pain in your forehead that made you want to pinch the bridge of your nose or hold your head in your hands? A headache between eyebrows can be incredibly uncomfortable and negatively impact your ability to go about your daily routines. While you feel the pain around your eyebrows, it is actually occurring underneath. If you start to have an eyebrow headache more frequently, then you may want to see a doctor for headache and migraine treatment. There are several reasons why you might be experiencing eyebrow headaches and treatment options depending on the specific root cause. Here’s what you need to know about a headache in between eyebrows and how to experience lasting pain relief.
What Causes a Headache Between the Eyebrows?
There are several possible causes for a headache between your eyebrows. Here are four examples of what could be causing your pain.
Head Cold
A head cold can cause you to experience a runny nose, congestion, cough, and headaches. You might find a head cold little more than a nuisance until the pain starts to ruin your day. A head cold may result in a headache that occurs behind your eyes and eyebrows. This could be due to the buildup of sinus pressure related to the nasal symptoms that come with your cold.
Sinusitis
A sinus infection, also known as sinusitis, can also cause pain behind your eyebrows. When you have a sinus infection, it can cause swelling in your sinus cavities. You may get a stuffy nose or congestion as the sinus cavities fill with mucus. This swelling and pressure on your sinuses can cause pain that occurs behind your nose and eyes. Sinus pain associated with sinusitis can cause eyebrow headaches.
Allergies
Allergies can also aggravate your sinus cavities and lead to swelling. If you experience seasonal allergies, then you might get more eyebrow headaches during pollen season in spring or fall. When you experience a lot of congestion due to allergies, it can put pressure on your sinus cavities located behind your eyes and nose.
Health Conditions
Certain health conditions may also have eyebrow headaches as a possible symptom. Glaucoma is one example of a health condition that affects your eyes and can cause painful headaches behind your eyebrows. Temporal arteritis is another health condition that refers to inflammation of the arteries in your head. This can cause headache pain around your eyes and temples.
Types of Headaches with Pain Between the Eyebrows
There are three main types of headaches that are associated with pain behind the eyebrows: migraines, tension headaches, and cluster headaches.
Migraines
Migraines are a severe type of headache that can cause incredibly painful and uncomfortable symptoms. Some of the first signs of a migraine may include increased sensitivity to loud noises and bright lights. You may also experience pain that gets worse and becomes increasingly debilitating over time. A migraine can cause pain on one or both sides of your head, including behind your eyebrows. People who have migraines may also have symptoms including nausea, irritability, dizziness, and pain that gets worse with certain movements.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches can feel like you have a band wrapped around your head. Stress in your life can cause you to tense your muscles, and a buildup of that tension can result in painful headaches. Tension headaches can also be accompanied by pain in your neck and shoulders, along with stiff and sore muscles.
Cluster Headaches
Cluster headaches refer to a type of migraine where you experience a burst of multiple headache attacks in a row. A typical experience of cluster headaches may include the exact same or similar symptoms of a migraine but with short periods of relief in between attacks. Cluster headaches can last over the course of one day or even a week at a time.
Diagnosing a Headache Between the Eyebrows
In order to find out what headache treatment will work best for you, you will first need to know the cause of your eyebrow headaches. Talk to your doctor about what symptoms you have been experiencing. It can help to keep a journal or record of your headache symptoms for more detailed information. Include what you were doing and eating when you first noticed headache symptoms. Your doctor will also want to know if your symptoms got worse over time and if certain movements or activities made the pain worse. In some cases, your doctor may want to run diagnostic imaging tests like an X-ray or CT scan to rule out any injury or a spinal condition.
Eyebrow Headache and Migraine Treatment
Once you know the root cause of your eyebrow headaches, you can get started on the appropriate headache or migraine treatment for you. If your eyebrow headaches are primarily due to issues with your sinuses, then it may help to address nasal symptoms first. It will help to identify what is causing the swelling and pressure buildup in your sinuses. Then you can use a targeted treatment approach to reduce swelling in your sinuses. By alleviating the pressure behind your nose and eyes, you can reduce the occurrence of eyebrow headaches. Certain allergy medications can also help you manage your allergy symptoms. Drinking plenty of water can also help break up the buildup of mucus in the body and help clear your sinus passages. If you are dealing with migraines, then you will want to learn how to best address your pain during an attack. Resting in a dark, quiet place can help reduce stimuli like loud noises and bright lights that may make your pain and other symptoms worse. A cold compress over your forehead can also help reduce swelling and offer a natural pain reliever.
No matter what is causing your eyebrow headaches, our team at AICA Orthopedics in Marietta is here to help. We have a staff of orthopedic doctors, neurologists, chiropractors, and physical therapists who specialize in treatment for headaches and migraines. Visit us to learn more about how we can help you find relief from eyebrow headaches.