Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsIs It Contagious?CausesStaying HomeContagious PeriodProtecting OthersWhen to Seek Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Is It Contagious?
Causes
Staying Home
Contagious Period
Protecting Others
When to Seek Care
Sinus infections themselves aren’t contagious, but the viruses that cause most of them are. Viral sinus infections often follow colds orflu, which spread through respiratory droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. These viral infections typically clear up in about seven to 10 days, while bacterial sinus infections, which aren’t typically contagious, may last longer and often requireantibiotics.
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Can You Catch a Sinus Infection?
No, you cannot directly catch a sinus infection from someone else. Sinus infections are not contagious, but the viruses that can lead to sinus infections are.
Bacterial sinusitis isn’t transmitted from person to person, either. It usually develops from an overgrowth of the bacteria that are naturally found in your body. It can also happen as a complication from another viral, allergic, orfungal infection.
In many cases, an underlying structural issue, such as a deviated nasal septum, nasal polyps, or narrowed sinus openings, causes a buildup of fluid or air in your sinus cavities.
These structural abnormalities can block normal drainage, allowing fluid or air to become trapped and providing an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, leading to infection. Most of these infections are self-limiting, meaning they don’t spread to other parts of the body or to other people.
What Causes Them?
The bacteria strains responsible for most sinus infections include:
You can also develop sinus infections because of structural problems in your nose or the bone structure in your face, as well as from allergens and irritants. These forms of sinusitis are not contagious.
Should You Stay Home?
In the case of bacterial sinus infections, the bacteria don’t typically travel through the air or through direct contact with others like viruses do. Although bacterial sinus infections are not contagious, it might be best to stay home if you have severe symptoms, like heavy congestion orfever. Staying home will give your body a better chance to rest and recover.
Keep in mind that specific populations, like older adults, babies, and people withweakened immune systems, have a higher risk of infection. If you are not feeling well, practice extra caution when around anyone who falls into these categories.
How Long Are They Contagious?
How long you are contagious with one of these infections depends on various factors, including:
People are typically sick and, therefore, contagious, with viral infections between three and seven days. As with most viral illnesses, you can usually spread a viral sinus infection to others for as long as you experience symptoms.
If a viral sinus infection develops into a bacterial one, it’s probably not contagious. However, it may be challenging to determine exactly when your sinusitis progressed fromviral to bacterial.
As a general rule, it’s best to err on the side of caution and avoid close contact with others until you’re feeling better.
Preventing the Spread
The best way to keep from spreading any kind of infection, including sinus infections, is to stay home when you are sick and avoid contact with people you know are ill or are displaying symptoms of an illness.
Common symptoms of sinus infectionscan include the following:
If you or someone around you has these symptoms, maintain physical distance or use a barrier like a face mask to reduce the risk of transmission.
Frequent handwashing, using a humidifier in your home, and staying up-to-date on vaccines for common viral and bacterial illnesses can also help you prevent spreading—or catching—a bug that can cause a sinus infection.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
You don’t always need to see a healthcare provider for a sinus infection. However, if you experience the following signs, seek treatment:
These symptoms can be a sign of a worsening infection or progression to a bacterial infection. In many cases, a bacterial sinus infection can resolve on its own within 10 to 14 days with ample rest, hydration, and over-the-counter pain relievers.
Though, if symptoms last longer than 10 days without improvement, your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotics to resolve the infection.
Summary
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Sinusitis (sinus infection).Harvard Health Publishing.Are sinus infections contagious?.Mount Sinai.Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis. Medline Plus.Penn Medicine.Clearing the air: Is sinusitis contagious or just a common cold?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Battisti AS, Modi P, Pangia J.Sinusitis.StatPearls. March 2023.HealthyChildren.org.The difference between sinusitis and a cold.DeBoer DL, Kwon E.Acute sinusitis.StatPearls. August 2022.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Nemours KidsHealth.Sinusitis (sinus infection).Harvard Health Publishing.Are sinus infections contagious?.Mount Sinai.Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis. Medline Plus.Penn Medicine.Clearing the air: Is sinusitis contagious or just a common cold?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Battisti AS, Modi P, Pangia J.Sinusitis.StatPearls. March 2023.HealthyChildren.org.The difference between sinusitis and a cold.DeBoer DL, Kwon E.Acute sinusitis.StatPearls. August 2022.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Nemours KidsHealth.Sinusitis (sinus infection).Harvard Health Publishing.Are sinus infections contagious?.Mount Sinai.Sinusitis.National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis. Medline Plus.Penn Medicine.Clearing the air: Is sinusitis contagious or just a common cold?.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).Battisti AS, Modi P, Pangia J.Sinusitis.StatPearls. March 2023.HealthyChildren.org.The difference between sinusitis and a cold.DeBoer DL, Kwon E.Acute sinusitis.StatPearls. August 2022.
Nemours KidsHealth.Sinusitis (sinus infection).
Harvard Health Publishing.Are sinus infections contagious?.
Mount Sinai.Sinusitis.
National Library of Medicine.Sinusitis. Medline Plus.
Penn Medicine.Clearing the air: Is sinusitis contagious or just a common cold?.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection (sinusitis).
Battisti AS, Modi P, Pangia J.Sinusitis.StatPearls. March 2023.
HealthyChildren.org.The difference between sinusitis and a cold.
DeBoer DL, Kwon E.Acute sinusitis.StatPearls. August 2022.
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