Can allergies cause infection? - Allergies Message Board

~Kris~ · 03-23-2005, 10:59 AM

I am very allergic to cats and I went to visit some relatives who have cats. I had the normal sneezing, congestion, coughing, and eyes swelling (all of that fun stuff). However, I'm now coughing up green instead of clear. Can allergies cause a sinus infection?

Machaon · 03-23-2005, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Kris~

I am very allergic to cats and I went to visit some relatives who have cats. I had the normal sneezing, congestion, coughing, and eyes swelling (all of that fun stuff). However, I'm now coughing up green instead of clear. Can allergies cause a sinus infection?

If allergic reactions cause the nasal or sinus membranes to get damaged, causing open wounds, then germs can get into those open nasal wounds and cause an infection.

Once the nasal membranes get damaged, the unfortunate sinus sufferer enters into a vicious cycle of repeat infections, until those nasal or sinus membranes are allowed to completely heal.

It's the same way with your hand. If you get a wound on your hand, or other part of your body, you can then more easily get an infection. Until that wound, or injury, heals completely, it is always a target, of germs, for infection or re-infection.

Halls · 03-23-2005, 02:37 PM

Yes, bad allergies can cause infections all the time! It has happend to me many many times!

reader1 · 03-23-2005, 06:29 PM

OK here's the way allergies really trigger infection. Allergies can stimulate production of mucus and cause inflammation of airways, including sinuses. Inflammation means less room for mucus to move around and drain and flush itself out. So mucus can get trapped and get infected.

~Kris~ · 03-24-2005, 12:20 PM

Thanks for the info. I went to the doctor today and got on antibiotics. I really wanted to just wait and see if the infection would just run its course and get better w/o antibiotics, but with the weekend coming up I decided to go see doc.