What to record
Get emergency help for facial pressure with a sudden, extremely painful headache, new weakness, speech difficulty, loss of vision. New swelling around an eye, double vision or reduced vision with possible sinusitis also needs urgent hospital assessment. NHS headache guidance · NICE acute sinusitis guidance
Sources: NHS headache guidance; NICE acute sinusitis guidance
Describe the pressure without assuming where it came from
Start with the location. “Under my left eye”, “behind both eyebrows” and “along the upper teeth on the right” are more specific than “my sinuses hurt”. Use a word that feels accurate, such as pressure, ache or stabbing, then say how long it lasted.
If you checked and your nose felt clear, record that. If you didn’t think to check, write “not recorded”. A change in smell or nasal discharge can still be worth mentioning when blockage is absent. ENT UK facial pain guide
| What happened | What else was present | What to bring to a visit |
|---|---|---|
| Cheek, brow or eye pressure | Which side, whether it stayed there, and whether it faded or came in waves | A start time, approximate duration and one description in your own words |
| Nose felt clear or was not checked | Any discharge or change in smell that you did notice | A short line separating clear, present and unknown |
| Pressure during a usual activity | Any tooth discomfort, pain with chewing, light sensitivity or nausea | What you were doing and what you noticed, in the order it happened |
Source: ENT UK facial pain guide
A worked entry you could read aloud
“At about 16:00 on Thursday, I felt an ache under my right cheekbone. My nose felt clear on both sides and my sense of smell seemed usual. My upper teeth felt sore while I was eating at 18:00. I noticed the pressure had eased by bedtime. I didn’t record when it stopped.”
This note gives a clinician or dentist a location and a sequence. It leaves open whether the cheek and tooth sensations were related. If the same pattern happens again, write down what was similar and what changed. If the pressure comes with headache or sensitivity to light, the headache and nasal symptom note card gives you a place to capture both.
If you keep symptom notes on your phone, AirBloom is being built to keep dated check-ins together. You could use it to find the day your face felt sore and your nose felt clear, rather than reconstructing it at the appointment.
Use a clear day as a comparison
If you have another episode, check whether the pressure comes on in the same place and whether your nose still feels clear. It can also help to keep one observation from a day when your face feels normal. If you sometimes feel pressure with a blocked nose and sometimes with a clear nose, write down an example of each. That gives the person seeing you two patterns to ask about.
Keep the words you used at the time. “A dull ache beneath the eye” may be easier to compare later than a label you added after searching online.
When to get recurring pressure checked
Make an appointment if the pressure keeps returning, persists or is getting worse. If it is linked to a particular tooth or chewing, mention that when seeking dental or medical advice. Bring two examples if you have them and say whether you felt normal in between. ENT UK facial pain guide · NHS headache guidance
Sources & further reading
- ENT UK facial pain guide
- American Migraine Foundation
- NHS headache guidance
- NICE acute sinusitis guidance
This guide provides general education, not individual medical advice. It has not been clinically reviewed. Talk to a qualified clinician about persistent, new or worsening symptoms. Follow your local emergency guidance for urgent concerns.
Spotted an error? Tell the editorial team.
Your story, together.
AirBloom is in development for iOS and Android, bringing symptom records and existing routines into one place. Join the early-access waitlist.