Know Whether Sinus Infection Is Contagious

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If we have sinus symptoms, the first thing our employees or family members do is often thinking that we don’t catch it. We often try to keep things straight — we don't want to sneeze, wheeze, or get a headache. But sinus infections are not always infectious. It can happen to your child too as getting sinus infection for a kid is common. Before visiting a pediatric ENT, know everything here.

Various causes, various answers

Many of us often think whether sinus infection is contagious. Well, some of them can be transmitted and a number of different causes of sinus infection take place. Some of the principal causes of sinus infections are:

Viruses are transmitted from one person to the next, so you can pass the bug to you if someone is suffering from a viral sinus infection. But the same symptoms may not be present. Viruses cause the common cold and these viruses may lead to the development of sinus infection. Viruses can be contagious only for a couple of days, or a week or more. Even before you have any symptoms of sickness, you may have a virus.

If there is a blocked sinus with mucus, bacterial infections can grow. Such infections usually last longer. Infections of the bacterial sinus cannot spread from one person to the other. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) notes that sinus infection is likely to come from bacteria while a simple test can instantly find outwhether the infection is bacterial or viral.

  • Symptoms last for 10 days or longer without improvement

  • Headache, new fever or nasal discharge generally after a viral infection on upper respiratory track lasting six to seven days and initially appearing to be healed.

  • Symptoms become worse, including fevers from 102° or higher, or facial discharge lasting for 3-4 days in a row.

  • Environment, allergies, etc. When a person has a diverted septum or nasal polyps (growth within the nasal cells), allergic reactions or dry, polluted or smoke breaths, they may develop sinus infections. This cannot be passed on, but if something causes symptoms in the patient's environment, they should consider evaluating the environment and go for positive changes.

Come to OKOA for pediatric ENT. Book your schedule with us in OKC and get your child checked thoroughly.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.

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