When Sinus Infection Spreads

A recent news story contained many parents’ nightmare scenario: a child with an everyday infection who suddenly took a turn for the worse and ended up in a life-threatening situation.

In this case, the infection was a sinus infection, and the girl being treated for it received a clean bill of health from her doctor. Shortly after that, things took a frightening turn:

Though the doctor who was treating the sinus infection gave Abby the all clear to go on vacation, her health declined while there and she was unresponsive April 7, according to her mother, Carolyn Westling.

Abby was transported by ambulance to the hospital in New Mexico, “where she had emergency brain surgery for the infection that had gone from her nasal passages into her brain,” Carolyn Westling said.

This is a rare occurrence, but it’s by no means unheard of. One of the reasons that sinus specialists such as myself advise aggressive treatment when sinus symptoms last several weeks is precisely because persistent infections tend to pose the greatest danger of spreading.

Sinus infection can be recognized by its signature facial pain and pressure. If you or your child has experienced these symptoms longer than a few weeks, then you need to visit a sinus specialist right away.