Sinusitis in adults - is it contagious or not to others?

Non-contagious sinusitis

There are several types of sinusitis that cannot be infected, even with a strong desire. These include:

Chronic. Almost all types of chronic sinusitis, be it hyperplastic or parietal or simply sinusitis in remission. In these cases, the spread of germs is minimal. Allergic. There is also sinusitis caused by allergies. Swelling and blockage of the nasal sinuses occurs due to the fact that the nasal mucosa does not react correctly to plant pollen or pet hair. If you do not suffer from allergic reactions, then it is very difficult to contract allergic sinusitis. Polypous. And the third type is polyposis-cystic. When the blocking of the excretory anastomosis is caused by neoplasms in the maxillary sinuses. Is sinusitis contagious under such circumstances, definitely not. Cysts or polyps are not transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets.

It should really be noted that any of the listed forms can at any time be aggravated by bacterial infection, with all the ensuing consequences.

In turn, a person who discovers symptoms of the disease should immediately consult a doctor and strictly follow the prescribed procedures and take the necessary ones on time to avoid all sorts of complications.

Since sinusitis is essentially an infectious disease, it can be transmitted to others. There are several ways to protect yourself from it, but the main thing is prevention.

+ Prevention

For those around you, preventive measures consist of boosting your immunity. High-quality nutrition, taking vitamins, performing simple gymnastic exercises - this is a set of protective measures.

If there is no immunity, then it is easier for bacteria to pass from a sick person to a healthy person, causing various complications.

Treatment of sinusitis

If a runny nose of unknown etiology persists, drug therapy is started to prevent sinusitis. You can determine that the disease has entered the next phase by the following signs:

persistent headaches;
purulent discharge;
swelling;
a rise in temperature above subfebrile levels;
painful palpation on the bridge of the nose.

In the mild stage, therapy begins with taking drugs with herbal formulas that relieve swelling and increase local immunity (Sinuforte). It is important to rinse the nasal passages with saline solution, pharmaceutical drops and liquids. These are: Aquamaris, Dolphin, Aqualor, Diosidin, Furacilin. Nasal irrigation and drinking plenty of fluids relieve intoxication, reduce swelling, improve the condition of the epithelium and remove residual exudate.

Things are worse with advanced forms of sinusitis. Along with vasodilators, patients are prescribed antibiotics, antiviral drugs, and physical therapy. If there is no result, a puncture is made. To identify the pathogen, the doctor takes a scraping from the paranasal sinus and sifts it into nutrient media. Then, based on the result, he selects a course. In order not to waste time on self-medication, it is better to immediately consult a doctor for adequate treatment. In the future, this will help avoid puncture and other unpleasant events.

Situations in which you should not be afraid of sinusitis

There are a number of circumstances in which the question of whether sinusitis is contagious can be answered in the negative. This happens in cases where the disease has a psychological or allergic basis, is caused by nasal polyps, or has become chronic.

Sinusitis is transmitted, as a rule, at the stage of its exacerbation. Its chronic form is not contagious. You can notice that the course of the disease has changed by symptoms such as constant nasal congestion, migraines, and partial inability to distinguish odors. The course of the chronic process is also noticeable in the photograph of the sinuses - the doctor will see darkened affected areas.
Is it possible to get sinusitis from allergic origin? - definitely not! The allergic reaction that caused sinusitis is a purely personal factor and cannot be transmitted from patient to patient. The patient’s condition of the mucous membranes of the nose worsens, and copious mucus secretions begin, but these symptoms cannot be transferred to another person.
It also happens that polypous growths form in the paranasal sinuses of a person. They block the exit from the nasal canals, preventing secretions from circulating normally. Neoplasms can be detected both by a combination of symptoms and by looking at the results of an X-ray examination. This form of sinusitis is not contagious to others.
According to psychologists, inflammation in the maxillary sinuses can also occur for psychosomatic reasons. For example, a person is tormented by feelings of guilt, pity, or he falls into long-term depression. Against this background, a pathological process can easily develop.

By answering the question whether sinusitis is a disease, one can judge whether it is contagious or safe for the environment. In general, inflammation of the maxillary sinuses can be transmitted from one person to another. Both the patients themselves and their immediate circle of friends should remember this.

To avoid getting such a nuisance as sinusitis from someone, you must adhere to standard hygiene standards and remember basic preventive measures.

Those who are already sick should also not ignore the fact that sinusitis is contagious - it is necessary to share as few items as possible with still healthy people, avoid busy places and regularly receive treatment prescribed by a doctor.

Is sinusitis contagious to others?

The inflammatory process in the paranasal sinuses is usually formed as a result of a microbial or viral infection . And all viral and respiratory infections are highly contagious. The main way of their transmission is airborne and household (through handshakes and surrounding objects).

Also, inflammation of the maxillary sinuses is accompanied by severe nasal discharge (as with a runny nose). The patient’s saliva contains harmful viruses that can cause various other viral diseases (influenza, tonsillitis, sinusitis, acute respiratory infections) in others. It turns out that sinusitis is contagious and you can get infected with it?

No, sinusitis itself is not spread from person to person, but various rhinoviruses that cause this disease can easily spread to you (the likelihood increases with a weakened immune system).

Based on these data, we can safely say that sinusitis (as well as various sinusitis) can be dangerous for others. The fact is that, having a viral origin, it can give rise to entire viral epidemics of acute respiratory infections , adenovirus and influenza. This is most often observed in the fall, when the peak of acute respiratory infections occurs.

Is it possible to get sinusitis?

The risk of contracting this disease depends on its origin. There are forms of the disease that can be transmitted.

Viral form of sinusitis

The inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses is caused by various factors. Its development is provoked by all kinds of infections that affect the upper respiratory tract.

The disease is caused by pathogens that cause acute respiratory infections. With a weakened immune system, the body loses its ability to resist viruses. If viruses are the cause of the disease, it can be argued that transmission of the disease from a sick person to a healthy person is possible.

Sinusitis of bacterial origin

Bacterial infection occurs due to:

staphylococci;
streptococci;
mycoplasma;
chlamydia.

Inflammatory processes caused by these pathogens accompany the signs of ARVI, an airborne disease. In this case, to the question: is sinusitis contagious to others, the doctor will give a positive answer. The infection easily spreads from infected people to healthy people.

Congenital sinusitis

Hereditary sinusitis develops if the nasal septum is deviated. With a deformed septum, drainage and ventilation of the maxillary pockets are disrupted, and the nasal turbinates are greatly narrowed.

In addition, the inflammatory process is caused by bone fragments and foreign bodies that have entered the shell. In this case, the disease is caused by genetic features of the structure of the nasal cavity. It is inherited and cannot be infected.

Odontogenic sinusitis

The inflammatory process in the maxillary sinus is caused by dental diseases. The molars located on the upper jaw have the ability to grow into the base of the nasal concha.

The cause of the development of the disease is the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the upper jaw. Since the disease is not infectious, it is impossible to become infected.

Is it possible to get infected from a patient with sinusitis?

Sinusitis is one of the types of sinusitis, the source of inflammation of which is localized in the maxillary sinuses. The disease occupies a leading position among other forms of sinusitis, and is characterized by severe symptoms. The causes of the pathological process are different. The possibility of transmitting sinusitis to others depends on what led to the infectious-inflammatory process in the maxillary sinuses.

The paranasal maxillary sinuses are cavities in which air circulates. The cavity is lined with ciliated epithelium and is represented by opportunistic microflora. With reduced immunity, a virulent microorganism, bacteria, fungus or irritant can enter the cavity formations. All this will lead to blockage of breathing and accumulation of mucus inside the maxillary sinuses. A person becomes potentially dangerous to the people around him.

In order to understand whether sinusitis is dangerous for others, you should understand the causes of the disease and provoking factors. You cannot become infected:

if the disease is caused by dental problems;
there are congenital anomalies in the structure of the nasal septum or skull bones;
history of mechanical damage to the nasal septum and facial bones;
the disease has an allergic pathogenesis;
if swelling is caused by hormonal imbalance;
when the pathological process is chronic.

The risk of infection increases when a virus, microbe or opportunistic microflora enters the maxillary sinuses and becomes negative (with immune lability).

In the case of a viral infection, a virulent organism penetrates into the cavity, for example, with acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections during the cold season. Local immunity decreases, and clinical manifestations of pathology occur. The patient becomes dangerous to others 24 hours before the onset of clinical manifestations, and for seven days after. You can become infected through household contact and airborne droplets. For those around you with reduced immunity, the risk of contracting the infection persists for more than 10 days.
Read also: Pneumatization of the frontal sinuses with sinusitis
Bacterial infection. A pathogenic agent (microbe) can enter the paranasal sinus in several ways. With the development of favorable conditions for its reproduction, specific symptoms arise that aggravate the patient’s condition. Infection occurs when rhinitis or conjunctivitis occurs, that is, when the bacterial infection “comes out” to the outside.

The risk of “catching” sinusitis is increased among children attending public educational organizations (school, kindergarten). Mass gatherings of people significantly increase the chance of becoming infected from a sick person.

Sinusitis is inflammation, and it is impossible to get infected with inflammation, since it is an autoimmune process. When answering the question: “Is sinusitis contagious or not to others?” It is important to understand that the danger is posed by the cause of the disease, that is, a virus or bacteria will “pass” from a sick person to a healthy person, and not “sinusitis.”

What to do if there is a family member with sinusitis

In most cases, a person with sinusitis is the source of viruses or pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, there is no point in wondering whether sinusitis is contagious; measures must be taken to minimize the spread of the causative agent of the disease.

If sinusitis is bacterial, this means that the rest of the family members with a probability of about 70% also have these bacteria in their bodies, but do not get sick, being asymptomatic carriers.

All of them are clearly at risk. For the most part, the question of whether family members will get sick or not is decided by the state of the immune system of each of them. However, the risk of infection can be reduced by taking a number of simple measures.

Quarantine measures. A sick person should be placed in a separate room and contact with all family members should be limited, especially children and the elderly, who, due to age-related changes, often have weakened body defenses.
Strictly follow all instructions of the attending physician regarding recommended medications, procedures and treatment regimen (usually bedtime). When communicating with a patient, use a protective medical mask or gauze bandage.
Carry out regular ventilation of the room to remove pathogenic microorganisms and wet cleaning to normalize the air in the room.
Observe personal hygiene measures that prevent the spread of germs (washing hands, irrigating the nasal cavity).
Increase the level of body resistance by taking vitamin complexes with microelements, good nutrition, hardening, physical activity and moderate physical activity. It is also important to observe a rest and work schedule.

What to do if someone in the family gets sick

Most often, the disease is caused by bacteria, which means it can be classified as an infectious disease. In the nasal appendages of a sick person, pathogenic microorganisms actively multiply and can enter the environment.

If one of the family members suffers from inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, then other family members become infected with bacteria from such a patient. If the disease does not develop, then they speak of asymptomatic carriage.

It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of whether it is possible to become infected with sinusitis. It all depends on how susceptible certain people are to the disease. The main route of transmission of bacteria is airborne droplets. But whether a person gets sick or not depends only on his immunity. The most susceptible are young children, people who have chronic diseases, as well as people with particularly weakened immune systems.

Pregnant women are very susceptible to various viruses and bacteria. Their immunity is reduced, so all infections literally stick.

But to prevent the disease from spreading, you should follow simple rules:

During the acute phase of the disease, it is necessary to minimize the patient’s contact with other family members . Quarantine must be observed until the patient begins to recover. Pathogenic microorganisms are especially dangerous for pregnant women and children; they should not come into contact with patients with sinusitis at all.
It is necessary to strictly observe the rules of hygiene.
The rooms should be wet cleaned frequently and the home should be ventilated. All surfaces are wiped with disinfectant solutions.
Handkerchiefs of a sick person are washed separately from the rest of the linen. They must first be soaked in a disinfectant solution.
If it is not possible to isolate the patient during the acute phase of the disease in a separate room, then he should wear a gauze bandage, which should be washed frequently.

It must be remembered that any infections are especially dangerous for young children, since their immune system is not yet fully developed.

You need to start treating sinusitis as quickly as possible, and you need to follow all the recommendations of your doctor.

Basic principles of treatment of sinusitis

For a complete and speedy recovery from viral sinusitis, you must adhere to the following basic rules:

Ensure good and complete drainage of mucous secretions from the nose. To do this, it is better to use vasoconstrictors (nasal drops). It is not forbidden to use folk remedies, for example, chamomile inhalations.
Rinse and rinse your nose - this will reduce the level of inflammation of the maxillary sinuses. A well-known and accessible method is saline solution. To prepare, take one spoon of salt and dissolve it in 250–300 milliliters of warm water. It will be useful to add calendula tincture to the solution, as well as a pinch of sea salt or furatsilin. When the swelling subsides, instead of salt, it is better to use another solution - a decoction of chamomile and calendula. Rinse at least three times a day.
Among natural medicines, it is recommended to use a lighter analogue of pinosol - pinovit, since pinosol itself is contraindicated for sinusitis. This drug has a pronounced antibacterial effect and makes breathing easier.
Warming the maxillary sinus area with dry heat. For these purposes, take a potato or a chicken egg and apply it to the bridge of the nose. Other natural products can be used.
Using honey cakes as a compress will help reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa.
An antimicrobial herbal procedure will prevent severe inflammation in the maxillary sinuses. To do this, use a solution of sage and chamomile.
Diluting nasal mucus with herbal expectorants (licorice root and marshmallow). They are used to ease breathing and prevent further inflammation.
A relaxing procedure - foot baths and warming the extremities with heating pads.

Anyone can become infected with sinusitis. Every untreated runny nose, chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, weak immunity increases the chances of the virus

By taking basic precautions and carrying out preventive procedures, you will significantly reduce the risk of contracting this disease.

How is pathology transmitted?

So, it is clear that sinusitis is contagious. The probability of infection from a sick person is about 30%. In order to avoid this, it is worth knowing how this disease can be transmitted.

Since sinusitis is primarily a respiratory disease, sinusitis is most often transmitted by airborne droplets.

Less commonly, the disease passes from a sick person to a healthy person through contact and household contact.

It is worth noting that the disease itself does not spread from person to person. Only the infection that causes it is transmitted. Each organism is individual, and if someone does not even notice the presence of the virus, then a person with a weaker immune system may get the flu, ARVI, or even sinusitis.

The degree of sinusitis in the patient also plays an important role. The most contagious disease is considered to be in its acute form. It has the most pronounced symptoms, so it is quite easy to detect.

How is the disease transmitted?

The disease is not transmitted in any way, as follows from the previous judgment. However, pathogenic microorganisms can be transported from person to person. When several factors are combined, the onset of sinusitis is likely. In what ways are flora and viral agents transmitted?

Airborne path. Breathing the same air as the infected person has an effect. Viruses and bacteria are released into the environment when coughing, sneezing, even simply breathing with particles of saliva and mucus.
Household or contact-household path. It is enough to touch the mucous membranes of the sick person’s nose, but this rarely happens. But handshakes and kisses are a frequent occurrence. It is the contact and household path for viruses and bacteria that provoke sinusitis that is the main one.
Oral-genital route. It is known that sinusitis is caused not only by bacteria living in the nose, but also by those microorganisms that are located in the oral cavity (in carious cavities, etc.). Unprotected oral-genital contacts are unacceptable.

Other characteristic paths are possible, but these are the ones mentioned most often.

Description of the general symptoms of sinusitis

The first characteristic sign of inflammation of the maxillary sinuses is pain in the nose, which increases in the evenings. The patient begins to experience severe headaches. If the inflammation affects only one of the sinuses, then the painful sensations manifest themselves in a one-sided manner.

Another common sign is a change in voice. Due to nasal congestion, a person speaks in a nasal voice and breathing is impaired. When lying on your side, nasal congestion may change from the right side to the left. Both clear liquid and purulent green contents may be discharged from the nose. But with severe nasal congestion, this phenomenon may not occur.

Body temperature in some patients rises to 38°C. This symptom is more typical for the acute form of sinusitis. In the chronic form, the temperature rarely rises. Patients may experience:

general malaise;
weakness;
fatigue;
loss of appetite;
sleep disturbance;
memory impairment;
coughing attacks;
pressure in the bridge of the nose (especially when bending over);
pain in the frontal part of the head, gums, orbits;
pain when turning the head;
loss of smell;
lacrimation;
increased sweating;
unpleasant smell of nasal discharge;
swelling of the face.

With allergic sinusitis, the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinuses swells when allergens enter the nasopharynx.

The patient experiences itching, which causes sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, and watery eyes.

The allergic form of the disease occurs in attacks and occurs more often during the flowering season.

Is sinusitis contagious at this time? No, allergies are not transmitted, sinusitis of this form is not dangerous.

Sinusitis symptoms

The main sign of the onset of the disease is pain inside the nose, which intensifies in the evening. A sick person develops a headache. If only one sinus is inflamed, one side hurts.

When the disease occurs, the voice changes. Since the nose is constantly blocked, the voice will be nasal and breathing will be impaired.

Depending on which side the patient lies on, congestion moves from the left side to the right and vice versa. Nasal discharge may be colorless or purulent green.

The temperature rise with sinusitis can reach 38°C. This is typical in the acute form of the disease. Chronic sinusitis is rarely accompanied by fever.

The disease may be accompanied by:

malaise,
weakness,
lack of appetite,
loss of sleep,
memory impairment,
coughing fits,
pressure in the bridge of the nose,
pain in the forehead area,
pain when turning the head,
lack of smell,
lacrimation,
profuse sweating,
swelling of the face.

Allergic sinusitis, which occurs when allergens enter the nasopharynx, causes swelling of the maxillary sinuses.

The patient begins to experience itching, accompanied by sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, and watery eyes. This form of the disease occurs in attacks and occurs when certain plants bloom.

Is sinusitis contagious to others at this time? No, because allergies are not transferable.

What to do to avoid infecting others

Not only the family should take care of the sick person, but he himself should feel responsible for the health of his loved ones and work colleagues. Therefore, a person must independently limit communication with other people if he has signs indicating the development of inflammatory processes in the maxillary cavities:

The occurrence of unpleasant sensations in the nose, which over time are replaced by a general headache, weakening in the morning, but intensifying in the evening. At first, the pain is not clearly localized, but gradually its place is increasingly outlined by the area of the nose and the projection of the sinuses, especially when bending forward.
Swelling of part of the face, usually on the affected side.
The appearance of nasal congestion, runny nose and difficulty breathing. Often the discharge is yellowish-brown in color and has an unpleasant odor.
Changes in the voice, which becomes dull and nasal.
Increased body temperature, general weakness, chills.

With such symptoms, it is advisable not to stay in crowded places, limit communication with family, and not play with children.

It is necessary to see an otolaryngologist as soon as possible to begin timely therapy and obtain sick leave to avoid the spread of the disease.

Is sinusitis contagious?

The question arises: is sinusitis contagious? This is always of interest to those who already have a family and children. Also, those people who are constantly present and work in a team may be puzzled by this question. It may be noted that doctors do not classify this disease as contagious. But you should not rely on the fact that sinusitis is completely harmless to others.

From recent observations, experts have revealed the following fact: if some family members have inflammatory chronic diseases of the nasopharynx, then other members of this family may more often develop respiratory infections. This can be explained by the fact that healthy people are forced to have constant contact with the infection. Naturally, in this case, children are most susceptible to respiratory infections. Therefore, the occurrence of sinusitis in mom or dad will certainly lead to pain in the child. And if the child’s immunity is weakened, then the process of inflammation of the nasopharynx may appear completely unexpectedly.

All that remains is to recommend limiting communication between a healthy and sick person. Well, even more so if a person has acute sinusitis. This is due to the fact that this disease is a respiratory infection. The route of transmission is often airborne and in rare cases it is observed through household contact. Is sinusitis contagious? When reading the text written above, you can understand that sinusitis is still contagious. And the probability of contracting this disease through airborne droplets is approximately 30%.

Symptoms of sinusitis, in which it is necessary to limit communication with a person.

- The appearance of an unpleasant sensation in the nose, which can be replaced by pain. With the gradual development of the disease, a person begins to feel minor pain in the morning and gradually intensifies in the evening. This sensation is perceived as a general headache, since it is not localized in a specific place;

- Appearance of a runny nose. With purulent sinusitis, nasal discharge occurs, which is characterized by an unpleasant odor. But there may also be an absence of a runny nose, due to the fact that the nose is very stuffy;

- Swelling of part of the face. Minor swelling occurs with sinusitis. As a rule, the side of their appearance corresponds to the affected side;

- Difficulty breathing through the nose. With sinusitis, the nose is constantly stuffy and there is a change in the voice. But, as a rule, everyone is concerned about changes in the respiratory process, often even more than headaches and runny nose.

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Can sinusitis be transmitted?

If this disease is caused by rotten teeth, then it is odontogenic and cannot be infected.

The disease cannot be transmitted due to a deviated nasal septum or due to a foreign body entering the maxillary sinus.

With allergic sinusitis, the mucous membrane swells when an irritating substance enters the nasopharynx. In this case, the sick person feels itching, often sneezes, severe nasal congestion appears, and tearing is possible. You cannot become infected with this type of disease. The allergic form usually appears during flowering.

And the infectious method of the appearance of the disease is more dangerous in this case. Since bacteria and viruses are transmitted in different ways. Coughing and sneezing release germs into the air. Consequently, they can penetrate the body of a healthy person. But the development of the disease depends on the strength of the immune system. If a person is in good health, the virus will not harm the body.

Sinusitis is contagious in case of a weak immune system.

If it is constantly strengthened by physical activity, vitaminized and hardened, then the body simply “expels” pathogenic microorganisms. And a weak immune system does not fight germs. Therefore, after contact with a sick person, you can easily become infected.

It is also possible to catch the disease through touching the nasal secretions of a sick person. Therefore, after wiping your nose, you should always wash your hands.

How great is the risk of contracting sinusitis?

The degree of danger of infection is determined by the form of the disease. Sinusitis caused by dental caries is not contagious. The disease caused by a deviated nasal septum or foreign bodies trapped in the sinuses is not transmitted. But if the causative agent of the disease is an infection, then microorganisms can be transmitted in several ways. You should know that sinusitis cannot be transmitted . Only pathogens are transmitted.

Transmission occurs through airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing. But if a person whose body has entered viruses or bacteria has a strong immune system, they will be destroyed. You can become infected through contact with the nasal secretions of a sick person. Therefore, after each wipe of the nose, the child needs to wash his hands with soap.

When the disease is transmitted by airborne droplets

Rhinovirus infection, which most often causes acute sinusitis, actively multiplies in the off-season. Its danger is that due to an increase in secretion, a persistent feeling of nasal congestion appears. When it accumulates, pain appears in the paranasal sinuses, frontal region, and a persistent headache appears.

Rhinovirus causes complications 4-5 days after the first symptoms appear. It can be not only sinusitis, but also otitis media and meningitis. At this time, pyogenic microflora joins the viral infection, after which the nasal secretion from transparent mucus turns into thick yellow-green.

How can you get sinusitis?

Inflammation in the maxillary sinuses is caused by various viruses, infections and fungi that enter the human nasopharynx. In complete health, sinus inflammation does not occur. Many who are faced with this problem are interested in: is sinusitis contagious and how to avoid infection? Sinusitis occurs in humans for a number of reasons:

untreated infection, for example, sore throat, acute respiratory viral infection;
as a complication from flu in the legs;
if a person has a deviated nasal septum that interferes with the free circulation of air between the nasal passage and the sinus;
chronic allergic diseases, asthma;
decreased immunity;
the presence of chronic diseases of the ear, nose and throat, for example, chronic tonsillitis, adenoiditis, etc.;
poor oral hygiene, the presence of foci of inflammation and dental caries;
polyps, cysts are benign formations of the nasal sinuses.

The question of whether sinusitis is contagious to others does not have a categorical “yes” or “no” answer, since the causes that cause this disease are infectious in nature, which means that a person who is sick can become their source.

At the same time, is sinusitis transmitted from person to person? That is, it is more correct to ask the question, will a person get sinusitis? This depends on various factors, but, above all, on the human immune system. If it is strong, then, even when communicating with a patient with sinusitis and receiving his dose of viruses and infections, the person will not get sick. If a person’s immune system is weakened by chronic diseases, or is imperfect due to childhood, old age, pregnancy, then viruses and infections can provoke the development of colds of the upper respiratory tract, pharyngitis, acute respiratory viral infections, and common inflammation of the nasal mucosa - a runny nose. If no measures are taken, then in theory there is a possibility that the disease may develop into acute and then chronic sinusitis.

Therefore, when asked whether sinusitis is contagious or not, doctors cannot give a definite answer. But the fact that a patient with sinusitis is a source of infections is undeniable.

Many patients are perplexed, where did sinusitis come from if they had not suffered from infectious diseases before? Sinusitis is not contagious to others if the causes that cause it are not infectious in nature. For example, if a person suffers from chronic allergies, which provokes chronic swelling of the nasal mucosa, which means it interferes with the free ventilation of the nasal passage and sinuses. Inflammation occurs in the sinuses on one or both sides. Sinusitis can also occur if there are tumors in the sinuses, for example, if there are cysts or polyps.

If these neoplasms close the excretory anastomosis, there is no free ventilation, then sinusitis occurs. This polypous type of sinusitis is not transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person. Many people are interested in whether chronic sinusitis is transmitted or not? With this type of disease, the spread of infection is minimal, but it is still possible for a very weak person.

Symptoms of sinusitis

The main sign of the onset of the disease is pain inside the nose, which intensifies in the evening. A sick person develops a headache. If only one sinus is inflamed, one side hurts.

When the disease occurs, the voice changes. Since the nose is constantly blocked, the voice will be nasal and breathing will be impaired. Depending on which side the patient lies on, congestion moves from the left side to the right and vice versa. Nasal discharge may be colorless or purulent green.

The temperature rise with sinusitis can reach up to 38°C . This is typical in the acute form of the disease. Chronic sinusitis is rarely accompanied by fever. The disease may be accompanied by:

malaise;
weakness;
lack of appetite;
loss of sleep;
memory impairment;
coughing fits;
pressure in the bridge of the nose;
pain in the forehead;
pain when turning the head;
lack of sense of smell;
lacrimation;
profuse sweating;
swelling of the face.

Allergic sinusitis , which occurs when allergens enter the nasopharynx, causes swelling of the maxillary sinuses. The patient begins to experience itching, accompanied by sneezing, nasal congestion, coughing, and watery eyes. This form of the disease occurs in attacks and occurs when certain plants bloom. Is sinusitis contagious to others at this time? No, because allergies are not transferable.

Prevention rules

In cases where the disease is not contagious, for example, with a chronic or allergic form of sinusitis, no safety measures need to be taken. If the disease is caused by an infectious agent, then there is a need to exclude the possibility of infection of healthy family members and society.

Safety measures are equally important for both adults and children. The patient must be placed in a separate room and contact with him must be limited as much as possible. He needs to be provided with separate hygiene products and utensils.

When in contact with a person suffering from an infectious form of sinusitis, it is recommended to adhere to preventive measures.

Use a protective mask upon contact.
Carry out daily cleaning of the apartment using disinfectants.
Ventilate 2 - 3 times a day so that the air temperature does not exceed 22 - 23 ºС.
Take measures to increase the body's defenses (eat right, take vitamin and mineral supplements, walk in the fresh air).
Treat caries in the oral cavity in a timely manner.

Prevention of sinusitis reduces the risk of infection to other family members. If necessary, you can consult a doctor who will prescribe an antiviral drug that protects against infection.