# Why is my skull on fire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 23, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229 "2009-09-23T13:36:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/1 "2009-09-23T13:36:32Z")
Okay, not literally. When I’m having my alternate months of having my nose and sinuses congested, it seems like occasionally, I’ll snerf back some mucus that’s on its way out the door and suddenly it feels like someone snuck into my skull, scrubbed down the walls of my sinuses with steel wool, then flooded the whole complex with rubbing alcohol. The front of my skull will feel like someone stuck a flaming q-tip WAY up and back and I’ll have to go have a sit-down for a few minutes while I breathe as shallowly as possible. First of all, does this happen to other people or am I just a freak (okay, more of freak than before…)? Second of all, WHAT is going on in there that just plain old AIR becomes an incendiary device? ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/2 "2009-09-23T14:20:20Z")
Inflammation? Who knows. If this happened to me I’d be seeing a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/3 "2009-09-23T14:32:47Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > Inflammation? Who knows. If this happened to me I’d be seeing a doctor. Eh. It doesn’t happen often enough that it actually comes to the level of “chronic pain”. And it doesn’t last THAT long (no more than an hour). I’m just curious, not particularly worried. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/4 "2009-09-23T14:34:17Z")
Do you [own a motorcycle?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Rider_%28comics%29) ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/5 "2009-09-23T14:58:10Z")
My nasal passages/sinuses burn when I’ve got a sinus infection. Makes me want to stick ice up my nose to cool it off. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/6 "2009-09-23T15:01:00Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Do you [own a motorcycle?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Rider_%28comics%29) _snerk_ I’m a horrible comic book geek. I never even thought of Ghost Rider when I titled this thread! ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/7 "2009-09-25T14:18:43Z")
IANADr. but you may need to consult with one as to your problem. I have had sinus problems most of my life untill a few years ago I started using a nettipot with warm mildly saline solution in water. More recently a vertical fountain bottle in a kit with premeasured salt packets has been available at major drugstores which is much easier to use. I use it once or twice a week if no sinus problems are noticed and once or twice daily when there are indications of stuffiness or mucus. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/8 "2009-09-25T15:35:24Z")
You might want to rethink that extended contract shooting Pepsi ads. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/9 "2009-09-25T15:45:23Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > You might want to rethink that extended contract shooting Pepsi ads. _snerk_ Thanks for the suggestions, folks. When I posted this, it wasn’t an immediately relevant question, but last night someone snuck into my bedroom and pumped my sinuses full of goop, and it’s been Niagara Falls all day long so far (with the added complication that, with my CPAP, if I can’t breathe through my nose, I can’t sleep). I might look into a neti pot/vertical fountain thing this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/10 "2009-09-25T17:03:29Z")
Check to see if you have a sinus infection first. Neti pots are NOT supposed to be used when you have an infection. Believe me, I found out the hard way!!! ---
**Author:** ![kuppman2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f17d59/32.png) [@kuppman2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kuppman2000)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/11 "2009-09-26T03:53:59Z")
Try taking a look at something called Trigeminal Neuralgia. ---
**Author:** ![T.Slothrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@T.Slothrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.Slothrop)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2009, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/12 "2009-09-26T04:47:38Z")
Originally posted by Jayjay: “First of all, does this happen to other people or am I just a freak (okay, more of freak than before…)?” Um, I vote for freak. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/13 "2009-09-27T13:54:50Z")
Look for an spray saline solution at the drugstore. It will work like magic, use it several times a day. The salt will fight the infection/inflamation, and the moisture will insure everything is slippery and drainy. The only caveat is that you must take care not to reinfect your sinuses with an contaminated dispenser tip. It’s a good idea to get in the habit of dipping it in alcohol after each use. I had such horrible sinuses I ended up having surgery. It was the surgeon who suggested this instead of over the counter sinus meds, which are expensive anyway. Wish I’d heard about it sooner, could have saved a fortune! ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/14 "2009-09-27T15:12:53Z")
> [@FalconFinder](#): > > Check to see if you have a sinus infection first. Neti pots are NOT supposed to be used when you have an infection. > > Believe me, I found out the hard way!!! Cite for that, please. Your assertion contradicts accepted medical practices. In my clinical experience, sinus irrigation is beneficial during the acute infection. Research supports this opinion: [http://www.nasalrinse.com/Fra/pdf/Nasalirrigation.pdf](http://www.nasalrinse.com/Fra/pdf/Nasalirrigation.pdf) If you are going to advise people here in GQ that nasal saline irrigation (aka sinuclease, neti pots, etc) should not be used to treat infections, you’d best provide some peer-reviewed documentation to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/15 "2009-09-27T15:27:24Z")
As for the OP, **jayjay** , do you take any ACE inhibitors? Like lisinopril, enalapril, benzepril, etc? They can boost histamine levels and rile up nasal passages and cause chronic coughs. They’re most commonly used for treating elevated blood pressure or to prevent/treat diabetic kidney problems. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/16 "2009-09-27T15:34:10Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > As for the OP, **jayjay** , do you take any ACE inhibitors? Like lisinopril, enalapril, benzepril, etc? They can boost histamine levels and rile up nasal passages and cause chronic coughs. They’re most commonly used for treating elevated blood pressure or to prevent/treat diabetic kidney problems. I actually AM taking lisinopril. I had no idea it could cause that! Is there anything substitutory for it that won’t do that? ETA: Never mind, **Qadgop** …you’re not my doctor and I shouldn’t be asking things like that outside of theoretical/hypotheticals of someone who doesn’t have my med history to hand. I’ll consult my own doctor at my next appointment. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/17 "2009-09-27T15:39:45Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > I actually AM taking lisinopril. I had no idea it could cause that! Is there anything substitutory for it that won’t do that? > > ETA: Never mind, **Qadgop** …you’re not my doctor and I shouldn’t be asking things like that outside of theoretical/hypotheticals of someone who doesn’t have my med history to hand. I’ll consult my own doctor at my next appointment. I’m not your doc, but you can ask your doc to put you on an ARB like diovan or losartan or similar, instead, if appropriate (and it almost always is). It does the job of ACE inhibitors but without the side-effect of causing histamine buildup. Changing from an ACE to an ARB has resolved a LOT of sinus complaints in my patients. Unfortunately, ARBs are more expensive than ACEs. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-skull-on-fire/511229/18 "2009-09-27T16:01:50Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’m not your doc, but you can ask your doc to put you on an ARB like diovan or losartan or similar, instead, if appropriate (and it almost always is). It does the job of ACE inhibitors but without the side-effect of causing histamine buildup. > > Changing from an ACE to an ARB has resolved a LOT of sinus complaints in my patients. > > Unfortunately, ARBs are more expensive than ACEs. Thanks! I’ll do that.