Sinus Pressure and Dizziness Without Congestion: 5 Causes and Solutions

Many people every year deal with illnesses and feelings that make them feel slightly under the weather. While something like a head cold or fever is rather easy to diagnose, more complicated problems like sinus pressure combined with symptoms like dizziness are often hard to pinpoint. When you don’t have congestion as a factor either, things get even more complicated. 


To help you get the sinus relief you need, we have looked at a wide array of reasons that people can experience sinus pressure and dizziness without experiencing congestion. As we will see, there are also many effective ways to help treat this issue. Let’s start out by first understanding why sinus pressure without congestion is unique.

 

 

Why Sinus Pressure Without Congestion Is Unique

It seems like everyone can remember at least one morning where they wake up and just don’t feel good. The pressure in their nose paired with the struggle to breathe properly is something we have all experienced at some point. 


This issue is known as congestion, and it is that feeling you have when your nose feels blocked. In most cases, you will also experience sinus pressure when you deal with congestion. 


Sinus pressure and congestion go hand in hand as congestion is caused by the nasal cavities in your head getting backed up. When these cavities fill up, your sinuses feel the pressure of the added fluid and tend to feel uncomfortable. This is why so often you will see people dealing with both sinus pressure and headaches at the same time. 


Just because these two symptoms go hand in hand does not mean that they can’t exist in isolation. As we will see, there are many causes of sinus pressure and dizziness that often don’t come with added congestion. 

Causes of Sinus Pressure and Dizziness Without Congestion

Migraines

One of the most commonly associated causes of sinus pressure when congestion is not to blame is migraines. Millions of people get migraines every year, and many people don’t even know what they are dealing with. 


Migraines are unusual because, unlike congestion that is caused by a virus or bacteria, migraines seemingly come out of nowhere. Many people who deal with migraines feel like they have a very strong headache and can experience additional symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and light sensitivity. 


Migraines are known to cause the feeling of sinus pressure because it often involves pain in the front area of the face. The feeling of heavy congestion and the feeling of a migraine are often confused because they create the same uncomfortable feeling in the head. 


If you are feeling dizzy and have pain in your sinuses without any other congestion symptoms, there is a good chance you are dealing with a migraine. 

Allergies

girl with dog playing on the floor

Many people suffer from seasonal allergies that cause any number of effects in their bodies. For many with allergies, their breathing and general respiratory system can feel fuzzy and not as strong as usual. 


Allergies cause the body to produce a natural response that often results in some form of inflammation of the sinuses. Without feeling congested, you can feel the pressure building in your head when certain allergens are around you. Many people find that using a humidifier helps their allergy symptoms lessen, and their sinuses are able to relax more freely. 

Sinus Infections

The early stages of a sinus infection are often when people feel like there is an abundance of pressure within their heads. The infection is often caused by bacteria within the sinuses that can cause your body to react in unusual ways to get rid of the intruder.


Your body’s natural response is to try and fight the bacteria with support and heat that causes your sinus pressure to rise and often comes with a headache and fever. As the sinus infection gets worse, some people may begin to feel lightheaded, while others may start to feel some form of congestion. 

The Common Cold 

The common cold is similar to a sinus infection in many ways, considering how the body fights them both with similar aggression. As the weather gets colder and the air gets drier, many people find that their bodies start to react to the new conditions by catching a common cold as more bacteria and viruses are able to enter the body. 


Utilizing a good humidifier helps to moisturize the air before you breathe it in, but not all the harmful particles can be prevented from entering the sinuses. As your body reacts and fights off the cold, your sinuses are very likely to feel pressurized, and some dizziness may occur. 

Deviated Septum

A surprisingly common issue, many people suffer from what is known as a deviated septum. To put it simply, this is a condition where the pathways in your nose are restricted. This is usually something people are born with and requires surgery to really clear up. 


The lack of smooth airflow in the nasal pathway means that your sinuses are going to have a harder time doing their job. Many people with a deviated septum have a harder time breathing and feel the effects of sinus pressure more intensely than those without the issue. 

5 Solutions for Helping With Sinus Pressure and Dizziness

Warm Compressing

When you just need a bit of relief for your sinus pressure, something as simple as warmth can do wonders. The warmth of a towel or special warm compression tool allows the pathways to open up within the nose and sinus cavities. 


Warm compression can be done for a few minutes a day and will provide you with temporary relief of your sinus pressure. The major downside to this method is that it only helps for limited amounts of time and needs to be made part of a daily routine to reduce pressure. 

Humidifiers

resting in the office

When you need the best chance of helping your sinuses feel free, a humidifier is the way to go. A humidifier can help your general health by providing your body with the air moisture it needs to protect itself from outside harm.


The air produced by humidifiers is just how your body likes it to help your respiratory tract process the air in a way that doesn’t cause any unnecessary work. Just make sure that you are buying a humidifier and not a dehumidifier, which will do very little to help your sinus pressure. 

Rest

One of the oldest medications out there, rest can do wonders for your body. When your body has pressure in the sinuses and feels dizzy, allowing it to recover and regenerate will give it the best chance to quickly neutralize the threat. 


Taking naps when you feel dizzy and have pressure in the nose gives your body time to focus on figuring out what is going on and addressing the issue. A good night’s sleep is also going to be your best friend as those hours spent sleeping are when your body can get itself back to a great state. 

Saline Spray

Saline sprays can be great in a pinch when you are feeling your sinus pressure build and need a flush. Whether you have yet to experience congestion or not, utilizing a saline spray can help moisturize your nasal passage to keep it comfortable while your pressure is building. 


These sprays can flush out the bacteria that is causing your sinus pressure in the first place and can often help prevent you from needing to look to medication if conditions worsen. When your humidifier needs a little extra help to keep you breathing well, a saline spray can be like that cup of coffee in the morning that gets you ready for action. 

Hydration

Last but not least, we see our best friend, water, make an appearance as usual. For nearly any issue with your head or body, hydration is a key element to your body’s recovery. Water makes up every cell in your body and is essential to helping your body stay hydrated and able to deal with any issues. 


For some people, the pressure they feel in their faces and the dizziness that follows is simply a case of dehydration. Drinking the recommended amount of water for your age and height will give your body the help it needs to prevent issues like sinus pressure from happening in the first place. 

Conclusion

The sinuses are an essential component of our body’s response system, so you never want them to feel funny or uncomfortable. The pressure you feel in your sinuses can be caused by many things, so you need to do what you can to see where the problem may stem from.


With so many great ways to help your sinuses thrive, like hydration and a great humidifier, you’ll be on your feet breathing better than ever before when you implement the right solutions for sinus pressure relief. 


Sources:

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Leave a comment

Comments must be approved before appearing