Everyone in my Family is getting over a cold. Now I have the symptoms (well at least a sore throat). I have pain on my left side like a migraine but it seems like it's sinus and congestion related. Don't know if I should treat it with Imitrex or decongestant. I have to be careful because cold medicine sometimes makes head pain worse if it's truly a migraine. Any tips would be appreciated.
Laura
Have you talked to your doctor about taking cold meds in addition to whatever else you're taking?
Many doctors believe that what most people think are sinus headaches are actually migraine attacks. They say that if you don't have a sinus infection, sinuses usually don't cause pain.
If your pain isn't migraine, what does the Imitrex do to you? Does it make the pain worse, or is it benign? With me, if I think my daily pain is migraine, and it's not, Imitrex or another triptan doesn't affect my pain one way or the other.
Hang in there!
Gretchen in Mississippi
If you bend over and kinda put your head between your legs, does the pain/throbbing get worse? Then it's probably migraine.
On the other hand, if you are congested, this may also make you feel "cloggy" so it may be hard to tell.
Sometimes this works for me when I really can't tell. Normal headache or sinus pain - when you bend over, the pain would not increase or throb. With Migraine, it normally would start to throb or become worse.
Try it and see if it helps ya figure it out!
good luck! 
This is a tough one for me too.
Someone else suggested a hot shower/steam or you could try some VapoRub. That should help you if you are congested, at least a little without all side effects of the cold medicine. And then you might be able to tell.
Earlier this year my reg doc diagnosed me with a sinus infection and it was only after 3 rounds of antibiotics that my allergist thought migraine (I had never had one in the sinuses before).
He says that migraines are "frequently misdiagnosed as "sinus headaches." Sinusitis is a rare cause of headaches even though many people mistakenly believe their sinus infections give them headaches!"
Good luck.
Hi Laura,
Only you and your doctor can really tell you what to take. I can give you this link on Sinuses Giving You a Headache? It's Probably Migraine. It may help answer some questions.
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
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Aren't families wonder to try to shar'e things like colds with you! You might try a warm shower or some other hot steam (I got a small vaporizer recently that is wonderful for congestion) to see if that gives you some symptomatic relief. That might give you a better idea of what you have before you try any other medication, especially if there are issues with them for you. It might be hot tea and curling up somewhere for you if that's what you're getting. Hope you're feeling better soon. Cindy