Manatee Review

• An overwhelming majority of Americans celebrate Halloween.

• Sinus infections caused by viruses are contagious.

• Common colds are more likely in the fall and winter, and they can lead to sinus infections.

Dr. Mariah Pate | Tampa Bay Breathe Free

When the gatherings over Halloween go from spooky fun to a sinus infection, help is close at hand for Tampa Bay-area sufferers, a Florida sinus specialist said during a recent interview.

Halloween this year was a weekend-long event, bringing people closer together and making contagion more likely. If certain symptoms do appear, suffers should seek professional help, Dr. Mariah Pate of Tampa Bay Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers told Manatee Review.

"One great thing about the office is that patients will come in, and they'll leave with a diagnosis," Pate said. "When patients come to the office, they are examined with the endoscope and they're able to visualize their exam."

Patients can watch as their condition is diagnosed, Pate said.

"There's actually a screen on the back wall where they can watch the exam, which I think is so important because giving patients the knowledge and education about their condition really empowers them to get better," she said. "That's the first part of the evaluation."

From there, patients progress to another diagnostic tool.

"The second is doing a CAT scan [the] same day in the office," Pate said. "So by the time they leave, they know exactly what's going on and what can help them. Then, of course, allergy testing can be done as well to augment the plan and to help us treat the patient as effectively as possible."

Pate is a surgeon and clinician expertly trained in all areas of the ear, nose and throat with a focus on sinus treatment areas that include in-office sinus solutions, facial aesthetics, swallowing and voice, thyroid diseases and hearing loss.

Tampa Bay Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers is located on 54th Avenue North in St. Petersburg.

While not tied to any religious or civil observance, Halloween is a very popular holiday. A survey conducted by the National Confectioners Association in September found that 93% of Americans planned to celebrate Halloween in some way, according to Cision PR Newswire.

Halloween fell on a Monday this year, effectively making it a weekend-long observance, which can make the event something of a super-spreader. Mingling over any holiday weekend means people in closer proximity, leading to increased chances of getting a sinus infection by sharing contagious viruses, according to WebMD.

A sinus infection is not itself contagious, but the viruses that can lead to sinus infections are, and those infected with a virus may develop a sinus infection. Viruses spread from person to person through sneezing or coughing.

Sinus infections caused by allergies or bacteria are not contagious, but sinus infection sufferers should still cover their noses and mouths when sneezing, preferably into tissue or the crook of a clothed elbow. Everyone should wash their hands often and avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth.

Allergy symptoms and common colds also are likely in the fall, around Halloween, and remain common well into winter. What allergy and cold sufferers may not realize is that their symptoms could devolve into a sinus infection. Allergies, colds and sinus infections have many of the same symptoms, making it difficult to distinguish between them. If symptoms such as congestion last longer than 10 days, it might be time to see a doctor about whether a sinus infection has developed, Dr. Tran Locke -- an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist who works at Baylor College of Medicine -- told the Houston Chronicle.

Other sinus infection symptoms include a feeling of pressure in the face, decreased sense of smell, tooth pain and fever. Many patients can resolve their symptoms through medication but, for some, a minimally invasive surgery might be the best option, Locke said.

Anyone experiencing any of those symptoms, or other symptoms such as fatigue, can take this Self-Assessment Quiz to determine whether seeking treatment could be beneficial.