title: Chronic rhinosinusitis - 'it's my sinus doc!'.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common condition in the community, with significant morbidity and financial implications.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article outlines the diagnosis of adult CRS, the differential diagnoses, and appropriate investigations and management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rhinosinusitis is now the preferred term rather than sinusitis as this reflects the underlying pathophysiology. Patients with CRS have symptoms of at least 12 weeks duration with supporting examination and/or computerised tomography findings. Computerised tomography sinus scans should be considered in patients not responding to medical treatment or when the diagnosis is unclear. What constitutes maximal medical therapy is controversial and varied, but should include nasal saline irrigations, nasal corticosteroids and a course of antibiotics. Surgical treatment is reserved for patients not responding to medical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Consultant ENT Surgeon, Melbourne Nasal and Sinus Clinic, East Melbourne, Victoria. chrisbrown.ent@gmail.com
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005194:Family Practice; D006801:Humans; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology