Medical Terminology for Sinus Infection
The medical term for a sinus infection is "sinusitis," though the more accurate and increasingly preferred term is "rhinosinusitis." 1
Terminology and Rationale
Sinusitis is defined as inflammation of one or more of the paranasal sinuses, with infection being the most common cause 1, 2
Rhinosinusitis is the preferred medical term because rhinitis typically precedes sinusitis, sinusitis without rhinitis is rare, the mucosa of the nose and sinuses are contiguous, and symptoms of nasal obstruction and nasal discharge are prominent in sinusitis 1
The term "rhinosinusitis" more accurately reflects that inflammation typically involves both the nasal cavity and sinuses simultaneously 3
Clinical Classification
Sinusitis/rhinosinusitis is further classified by duration of symptoms 1:
Acute sinusitis: Symptoms present for less than 4 weeks, consisting of persistent upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, purulent rhinorrhea, postnasal drainage, anosmia, nasal congestion, facial pain, headache, fever, and cough 1
Subacute sinusitis: Symptoms lasting 4 to 8 weeks, also referred to as unresolved acute sinusitis 1
Chronic sinusitis: Persistent sinus inflammation for 8 weeks or longer, requiring abnormal CT or MRI findings for diagnosis 1
Recurrent sinusitis: Three or more episodes of acute sinusitis per year 1, 4
Special Subtypes
Pansinusitis refers to inflammation of all paranasal sinuses (maxillary, ethmoid, frontal, and sphenoid) simultaneously 3
Chronic hyperplastic eosinophilic sinusitis is a noninfectious form marked by eosinophils and mixed mononuclear cells, often associated with nasal polyps, asthma, and aspirin sensitivity 1