Groups that have higher risks for sinusitis

It has been found in studies that the following groups have higher risks for sinusitis:

1. The very young are at higher risk for more serious upper respiratory tract infections and for complications from them. Smaller nasal and sinus passages also make children more vulnerable to upper respiratory tract infections than older children and adults.

2. The very old are at higher risk for more serious upper respiratory tract infections and for complications from them. The elderly are at specific risk because their nasal passages tend to dry out with age. In addition, the cartilage supporting the nasal passages weakens causing airflow changes. They also have diminished cough and gag reflexes and faltering immune systems.

3. Women appear to be at higher risk than men are. Attributed to reasons of over-protection and lack of opportunity to develop immunity.

4. In the US, people living in the Midwest and South have a higher incidence of sinusitis than those in the Northeast and West.

5. People in higher income and educational groups appear to have a greater risk than people in lower groups. This is generally attributed to lack of adequate physical exercise form an early age. It is also attributed to the fact that they are over-protected denying them opportunity to develop immunity.

6. Caucasian and African Americans have a higher rate than Hispanic Americans.Young Children and Sinusitis.

7. All infants are susceptible to respiratory infections before the immune system matures, with a possible frequency of one cold every one or two months.