What is rhinogenic headache?

  Rhinogenic headache usually refers to headache caused by nasal or sinus lesions, and is one of the common clinical symptoms. Head and facial sensation is mainly innervated by the trigeminal nerve, and all kinds of lesions in the nasal cavity and sinuses can stimulate the trigeminal nerve endings of the nasal mucosa and stimulate pain. The nasal mucosa is particularly sensitive to pain, and the headache is severe after stimulation and can even spread to adjacent areas. The most common causes are generally anatomical abnormalities and inflammatory lesions, while others are caused by tumors, foreign bodies, and other causes.  Patients with rhinogenic headache generally have a history of nasal disease, but none have signs of increased intracranial pressure. The headache increases when the head is turned, when the head is lowered or when coughing, but the consciousness is always clear. Rhinogenic headache mostly presents as a vague or dull pain without fluctuating sensation, associated with head position changes, and the headache can be relieved by drops of nasal mucosal vasoconstrictor. If the patient’s nasal septum is obviously deviated to one side, the opposite side stimulates the nasal mucosa due to excessive airflow from the enlarged nasal cavity, and the narrowed side produces pressure due to obstruction of airflow, all of which can cause rhinogenic headache. Acute attacks of allergic rhinitis are also often accompanied by headache, which is especially pronounced during climate change. Patients with nasal and sinus tumors usually do not develop headaches until late in life, but patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma or frontal sinus osteoma can also develop severe headaches early in life.  For rhinogenic headache, medication is usually used, but steam inhalation, diathermy and ultrashort wave physiotherapy can also be added to the treatment. For rhinogenic headache caused by anatomical abnormalities of the nose, it is best to use surgery to correct them for a complete cure.