You know what they feel like: those gripping, throbbing pains above your eyebrows, on top of your head, the aching of your teeth, blinding lights and blaring sounds. Sinus pressure! Sinus surgery should be the last measure taken in your attempts to lessen the grips of those terrible sinus headaches. Surgery cannot be undone, and while severe complications and side effects could happen, there is very little chance of getting back what is "cut out."

Before sinus surgery is even considered, there are a number of steps that have to be taken. If you are truly concerned about your health, your well being, and your family and friends, you must cherish your body and health enough to thoroughly understand what is happening to your body, what is causing your sinus suffering, and what steps you should take to get it under control.

Patience and communication are very important as you make your way through this web of physical symptoms. It may take years before you come to the end of prevention and treatments, and move into the final phase of surgery.

Gathering information

The first step is to gather as much information as you can

Talk and communicate with your family and relatives and document:

1. allergies,
2. genetic and normal physical conditions,
3. possible remedies that work.

Talk and communicate with your neighbors or local health officials

1. allergies,
2. genetic and normal physical conditions (if needed or possible)
3. possible remedies that work

Talk with your Dentist to see if it may be related to your teeth, jaw, gums, or root nerves.Download a Home Allergy Checklist sheet and complete it

1. This will help you understand if there is something in your home that may be causing your suffering: plants, animals, mold, lack of humidity, outside or inside environmental contagion, etc.

Keep a running record of the weather in your area.

1. Write down when fronts come through,
2. Excessive times of rain, snow, fog, sun, wind,
3. Jumps in temperature,
4. Humidity levels inside and out.

Keep a running record of symptoms and note:

1. what they are,
2. how long they last,
3. what the dates were,
4. what you were doing in the hours and days before they began,
5. what medicines you took and your body's response to them.

Keep a running record of OTC and prescribed drugs and note:

1. The exact name and dosage,
2. how long you took it,
3. what the dates were,
4. and your body's response to them.

Keep a running record of the pollen and mold counts in your area.

1. Check out: http://www.pollen.com/allergy-weather-forecast.asp and have emails sent to you on a regular basis,
2. Write down dates of high counts,
3. Write down dates when you start sneezing, itching, and getting congested.

Throw your records onto the computer and place the file on your desktop, or, pick up a small notebook and keep it somewhere obvious at home so that you can enter the information on a regular basis. It takes at least a year of data and seasonal shifts of weather and environment before you will have enough data to analyze and take with you to your doctor.

Decision making

The chances are you have already been to your doctor off and on about this, or you have jumped into the prevention and treatment stage. There is nothing wrong with that because you have been trying to stop your horrible sinus headaches. But now, with all of your data, it is time to get serious and set up an appointment with your primary care physician. Take your time during the appointment. Explain what you did, provide a copy of the notes, and summarize your findings. There are a number of interconnecting issues, preventions, and treatments that may be broached upon concurrently or separately. Remember, this is your well-being and your life, take the time to do it right. Your doctor may not be aware or interested in certain preventative measures or treatments. It is your right, and responsibility to yourself and family, to push forward anyways.

1. Allergy medicines may be prescribed to you based on this data. Educate yourself on the different medicines available (OTC, antihistamines, nasal sprays). This may take years as you find the best one for you, and sometimes, a combination of medications is needed. Take your time.
2. Allergy testing at a special clinic or laboratory. Blood samples and panels of skin tests will be taken. Educate yourself. Find out what your insurance covers and what you need.
3. Treatments: Chiropractic, allergy shots, medicines, food choices, etc.
4. Prevention: Getting rid of animals, installing and changing furnace and air filters regularly, installing allergy bedding, closing off your home from outside allergens and contaminates, washing thoroughly after being outside or working with certain chemicals, moving to a different climate, etc.
5. CT scan of your head and sinus cavities.
6. Referral to an ENT-Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist
7. Research, research, Research!