Nasal Infection

What is a nasal infection?

A nasal infection is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, a common type of bacteria that usually lives harmlessly on your skin. However, if you have small cuts in or around your nostrils, this bacteria can enter and lead to an infection.

Sometimes, a staph infection in your nose clears up on its own and usually only causes redness, swelling, inflammation, and crusting. In rare cases, though, it can lead to more serious conditions, such as sepsis or toxic shock syndrome.

Who gets nasal infections?

Anyone can get a staph infection in their nose, but you’re more likely to experience it if you frequently pick or blow your nose. Your nose is one of the most common places where Staphylococcus bacteria live, so even a minor cut or abrasion can lead to an infection. ^[1]

How common are nasal infections?

Nasal infections are very common. It’s estimated that around 50% of people experience intermittent colonization (when bacteria multiply to high levels) of the nose by Staphylococcus aureus—the bacteria responsible for nasal infections. ^[2]

What causes a nasal infection?

The bacteria that causes nasal infections, Staphylococcus aureus, are typically harmless. You often have them on your skin without any issues. However, if the bacteria enter a break in your skin, they can multiply and cause irritating symptoms.

Certain activities can increase the likelihood of developing cuts or abrasions in your nose, including:

• Nose picking
• Plucking nostril hairs
• Excessive nose blowing
• Nose piercings

What are the symptoms of a nasal infection?

Nasal infections can cause a variety of symptoms, such as:

• swelling
• redness
• fever
• boils
• crusting
• bleeding

If you’re experiencing these symptoms and think you might have a nasal infection, chat with us about your health. Our clinical team can help diagnose the issue and recommend treatments based on your needs.

Can a nasal infection lead to other problems?

Most of the time, a staph infection in your nose will clear up on its own without treatment. But sometimes it can develop and cause further issues.

On rare occasions, staph infections in your nose can enter your bloodstream and quickly worsen. This could lead to you developing more serious secondary conditions such as cellulitis (a bacterial infection that affects the deeper layers of your skin), cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST) – a rare condition that causes a blood clot to appear between your brain and eye sockets, or sepsis.

If you notice your symptoms quickly worsening, it’s important that you seek medical help to avoid your condition becoming more serious.