is ear/sinus infections spreading to the brain actually that common?

[roxy90]

Okay I know quite a few people (me included) worry that ear/sinus infections will spread to their brain and cause meningitis.

I know it gets me in a flat panic every time I think I have an infection, worrying I'm not going to get to the doctors in time. At the minute I have jaw ear and cheekbone/eye socket pain. I'm very anxious that it's a sinus infection and I can't get an appointment til next week.

The Internet's full of people who knew someone who's infection spread to their brain and if you don't get it treated immediately you WILL die.

But are these complications as common as people think? o'm worried to leave this til next week, which I know sounds silly.

[cpe1978]

Roxy, I need to keep this brief as am doing the school run in a minute. When you say are they as common as people think- what evidence are you using to suggest that people think they are common?

The Internet and the media are full of the never events, times when things went wrong. There isn't a magazine called, 'People who got ill and recovered just fine'.

[pearl79]

Roxy, I need to keep this brief as am doing the school run in a minute. When you say are they as common as people think- what evidence are you using to suggest that people think they are common?

The Internet and the media are full of the never events, times when things went wrong. There isn't a magazine called, 'People who got ill and recovered just fine'.
A brilliant reply cpe1978 xx