Acute sinusitis

Sinusitis - Acute sinusitis Factor

Acute sinusitis means an inflammation of the paranasal sinuses lasting for three months or less. The paranasal sinuses are the mucosa-lined air cavities in the cranial bones which communicate with the nasal cavity, including the ethmoidal, frontal, maxillary, and sphenoidal sinuses.  Acute sinusitis is usually a bacterial infection which follows a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The ostia [openings] between some of these cavities are very small, and easily obstructed. With a viral infection the mucosa becomes swollen and obstructs the normal drainage processes. In this state acute purulent sinusitis may readily develop.

Symptoms include nasal congestion and discharge. The area over the involved sinus may be tender and swollen. Maxillary sinusitis causes pain in the cheek area, toothache and frontal headache. Frontal sinusitis produces pain in the frontal area and frontal headache. Ethmoid sinusitis causes pain behind and between the eyes and a frontal headache that is often described as "splitting". Pain from sphenoid sinusitis is less well localised and is referred to the frontal or occipital area.

Further information about the diagnosis of acute sinusitis can be found in the Diagnostic Criteria contained in the Research module of CCPS.

If a veteran or member had acute sinusitis he or she may not have sought medical attention until some time after the onset of symptoms.  Such medical treatment would normally be recorded in doctors' notes and/or hospital records.  However, these records may have been destroyed or can no longer be obtained.  Therefore, if there is a reliable history of appropriate symptoms and medical treatment at a particular time, this generally will be accepted, providing this is not negated by other evidence.  Seek medical advice if it is unclear whether the claimed symptoms and treatment at that time can be attributed to acute sinusitis rather than to some other condition.

LAST REVIEWED FOR CCPS 16 JULY 2003.

PRELIMINARY QUESTIONS [13235]

13241 the veteran has suffered from acute sinusitis at some time.

13242  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and VEA service for chronic sinusitis.

13253 the veteran suffered from acute sinusitis immediately before the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis.

13245   the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and VEA service for the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis.

13249  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and operational service for the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis.

or

13250  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and eligible service for the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis.

or

7334     the clinical onset of the condition under consideration occurred after the end of the veteran's last period of VEA service.

7335     the condition under consideration permanently worsened.

13254 the veteran suffered from acute sinusitis immediately before the clinical worsening of chronic sinusitis.

13246   the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and VEA service for the clinical worsening of chronic sinusitis.

13251  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and operational service for the clinical worsening of chronic sinusitis.

or

13252  the veteran has established the causal connection between the acute sinusitis and eligible service for the clinical worsening of chronic sinusitis.

CLINICAL ONSET AND OPERATIONAL SERVICE [13249]

13255  the acute sinusitis is causally related to operational service.

CLINICAL ONSET AND ELIGIBLE SERVICE [13250]

13256  the acute sinusitis is causally related to eligible service.

CLINICAL WORSENING AND OPERATIONAL SERVICE [13251]

13255  the acute sinusitis is causally related to operational service.

13257 the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis occurred prior to that part of operational service to which the acute sinusitis is causally related.

CLINICAL WORSENING AND ELIGIBLE SERVICE [13252]

13256  the acute sinusitis is causally related to eligible service.

13258 the clinical onset of chronic sinusitis occurred prior to that part of eligible service to which the acute sinusitis is causally related.