Skip to content
My WebMD Sign In, Sign Up
Last Reply:
Includes Expert Content
If someone coughs in a steam room at the gym- will I inhale their bronchial infection, strep, etc.?
avatar
LAGUY11 posted:
I was in the steam room, enjoying the great feeling and this guy who was a few feet away from me started coughing. Then I thought "wow- if he has any kind of serious or contagious bacteria or germs and coughs them into this steam, won't the germs "float around" being borne by the steam and end up in my lungs?

Isn't a warm, moist environment perfect for transmitting disease? Or could it be that the steam (I have read that steam in steam rooms gets to be around 106-110 degrees) kills germs? Also, you wouldn't freak out if a guy 10 feet away from you coughed if there was no steam, but I'm concerned about the contents of that cough (germs, viruses, bacteria, etc.) floating towards (and then being inhaled by) me.

Can a MEDICAL DOCTOR (and not just someone with a best-guess) please answer my question to the best of their ability?

Thank you very much!

Take the Poll

Do you think that you can catch a cold or another illness from a person by being in the same steam room with them more easily than if you were just in a regular (non-steam) room?
  • Heck yes! The steam lets their illness float around to be inhaled
  • No! The germs travel the exact distance they would w/ out steam.
  • No! The heat from the steam kills germs and bacteria.
  • Yes! But I'm not sure why!
  • No (just no)
vote
View Poll Results
1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:If someone coughs in a steam room at the gym- will I inhale their bronchial infection, strep, etc.?I was in the steam room, enjoying the great feeling and this guy who was a few feet away from me started coughing. Then I thought "wow- if he has any kind of serious or contagious bacteria or germs and coughs them into this steam, won't the germs "float around" being borne by the steam and end up in my lungs?<br /><br />Isn't a warm, moist environment perfect for transmitting disease? Or could it be that the steam (I have read that steam in steam rooms gets to be around 106-110 degrees) kills germs? Also, you wouldn't freak out if a guy 10 feet away from you coughed if there was no steam, but I'm concerned about the contents of that cough (germs, viruses, bacteria, etc.) floating towards (and then being inhaled by) me.<br /><br />Can a MEDICAL DOCTOR (and not just someone with a best-guess) please answer my question to the best of their ability?<br /><br />Thank you very much!
Reply
 
avatar
Rich Weil, MEd, CDE responded:
A lot of the cold viruses that we get live best at temperatures around body temperature and not warmer. I don't know how quickly the virus will die once it leaves the mouth and before it reaches you. I can't imagine it's a good thing if the person is in close proximity to you and sneezes in your direction. What's probably more of a problem is that mold and fungus live nicely in the environment and that's why it's important to wear something to cover your feet, and a towel to sit on. It's also important to cover any wounds you have on your skin, even small cuts, while exposed to the floor and other surfaces in gym locker rooms, showers, and steam rooms. These surfaces should be regularly disinfected. Athlete's foot and jock itch are two common problems.

Take care,
Rich
Report This| Share this:If someone coughs in a steam room at the gym- will I inhale their bronchial infection, strep, etc.?A lot of the cold viruses that we get live best at temperatures around body temperature and not warmer. I don't know how quickly the virus will die once it leaves the mouth and before it reaches you. I can't imagine it's a good thing if the person is in close proximity to you and sneezes in your direction. What's probably more of a problem is that mold and fungus live nicely in the environment and that's why it's important to wear something to cover your feet, and a towel to sit on. It's also important to cover any wounds you have on your skin, even small cuts, while exposed to the floor and other surfaces in gym locker rooms, showers, and steam rooms. These surfaces should be regularly disinfected. Athlete's foot and jock itch are two common problems. <br /><br />Take care,<br />Rich
Reply


Back to Top
Back to Top

See Related Eating & Diet Communities

See All Communities

Featuring Experts

Profile
Rich Weil, MEd, CDE Expert
Rich is an exercise physiologist and certified diabetes educator. He is director of the New York Obesity Research Center Weight Loss Program at St. Lu...More

Popular Discussions

Start a Discussion | See All

Helpful Tips

Losing Belly FatExpert
Hello Everyone, Losing belly fat seems to be a popular topic these days (in anticipation of beach season?). There are a couple of points to ... More
Was this Helpful?
Yes No
119 of 146 found this helpful
Post a Tip | See All

Helpful Resources

Post a Resource | See All

Related News

Related Drug Reviews

  • Drug Name User Reviews
See More

Report Problems to the
Food and Drug Administration

FDAYou are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.