Curriculum · ENT, Ophthalmology, and Dermatology
Chronic rhinosinusitis
What it is
Chronic rhinosinusitis is an inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses. It is defined by the presence of at least two out of four cardinal symptoms for at least 12 consecutive weeks, in addition to objective evidence. The four cardinal symptoms are facial pain or pressure, hyposmia or anosmia, nasal drainage and nasal obstruction.
How it presents
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery diagnostic criteria list the same four cardinal symptoms in order of frequency: the first is nasal obstruction, the second nasal drainage, the third facial pain or pressure, and the fourth hyposmia or anosmia. Two of the four must be present for at least 12 consecutive weeks.