How is the condition diagnosed?

The most important part of diagnosis is the history of the illness. The healthcare provider will pay particular attention to symptoms, environmental reactions and responses to medications. Since other diseases can act like chronic sinusitis, a complete medical history is crucial.

Physical exam using a rigid nasal endoscope not only accurately diagnoses chronic sinusitis, but also is used to follow the medical management of this disorder.

Computed tomography, or CT scan, of the sinuses is the standard means of X-ray diagnosis. However, a CT scan should be obtained only after all other medical treatment has been tried. CT scan is used to assess the extent of the disease or to identify any structural problems. However, the scans must be interpreted with caution since other conditions can look like chronic sinusitis on CT scan. Also, CT scans may not identify chronic sinusitis when it does exist. Diagnosis and treatment should not be based on X-ray alone, but instead should be based on symptoms.