‘Tis the season…for colds, the flu and sinus infections! A sinus infection results in painful inflammation of your sinus tissues, and it can have similar symptoms as a cold, including congestion, post-nasal drip and headaches.
As with most illnesses, if you’re sick, the best thing to do is stay home and rest until you’ve recovered. However, if you have a big event coming up or simply don’t want to deal with taking time off, you’re probably wondering whether you can get away with powering through without infecting anyone else.
Are Bacterial Sinus Infections Contagious?
Unfortunately, the answer is — it depends. Sinus infections can be viral or bacterial, and those particles are contagious. However, sinus infections can also be triggered by allergens. In this case, you are at no risk of spreading your condition.
It should be noted that technically, even if you are contagious, you are not spreading the infection itself. Instead, you are passing on the virus or bacteria that caused the infection. So, even if your symptoms don’t line up, you may pass on a cold or the flu without meaning to.
How Long Are Sinus Infections Contagious?
If your sinus infection is bacterial or viral, you can expect that you are contagious and will be until your symptoms dissipate. Recovery takes a few days in most cases, but it can also take up to a week before you start feeling better. These infections usually go away on their own, but if your symptoms persist for over a week, you may need to visit a health professional and get antibiotics to help you heal.
Are Sinus Infections Contagious After Antibiotics?
The good news is that if you end up needing antibiotics, you will not be able to transmit the cause of your infection to anyone else, even if you are still symptomatic. It may take a day or two for the antibiotic to become effective depending on which type you’re prescribed, but after that, you will be free to go back to your daily routine as soon as you are up for it.
Get a Same-Day Appointment at Hamilton Health
When you’re feeling ill, get treatment as soon as possible through Hamilton Health. We regularly have same-day appointments available, and our empathetic staff is ready and willing to find a way to ease your symptoms. Whether you fall victim to flu season or your sinus infection won’t go away, contact us today and get back to your life sooner and healthier.