BryanP

I am trying to educate myself regarding CUE's and going through those post. Short answer...yes. It can get very circular. In reality, You can have rhinitis with/without polyps, and/or Sinusitis with/without polyps. And you can have sinusitis with or with out rhinitis. But, you can get the trifecta....You get the polyps because the nasal lining is agitated. It can get agitated from rhinitis or sinusitis. When the polyps grow and cut off the air passages, you get an infection, which is not an allergic reaction....it makes my head spin !! THE ONLY WAY TO ADDRESS THEM WITH THE VA IS UNDER ALLERGIC RHINITIS 6522......they are not listed under sinusitis. Thanks for the replies.....I am reading everything.

a little clarification.... My original rating was for "Chronic Sinusitis to include allergic rhinitis....30%" I filed for reconsideration(?) and it was bifurcated as requested. The new decision read ---- assigned 50% for Pan-sinusitis chronic, (with hyperplastic nasal polyposis), with multiple surgeries, DUE TO POLYPS based on: -near constant sinusitis characterized by: -headaches, pain, crusting, purulent discharge, tenderness after repeated surgeries. (NOTHING ABOUT THE POLYPS) It then says....The evaluation of allergic rhinitis, currently evaluated at 0% is continued. -A noncompensable evaluation for your allergic rhinitis based on -Rhinitis without polyps Briefly, although people think they are the same, Allergic Rhinitis is a reaction to an environmental trigger. Sinusitis is an infection. (Also, since that rating, I now have chronic osteomyelitis showing on my CT scans.) So, I have recurrent polyps....they are always there to some extent. If I file for an increase I loose my original date, AND, the reason would be recurrence of the polyps...would it be new evidence? If not new evidence because they say I already submitted the polyp problems in the past wouldn't that be a CUE?? Is there some other way to address this ?

Actually, it was not higher than expected. Although it is a common perception that sinusitis and rhinitis are the same thing, they are not. They have been rated by the VA on a separate basis for years. That is why I originally filed for them as separate issues, and after the VA combined them, I asked to have them bifurcated, and the VA agreed and then rated me at 50% and 0%. Polyps are associated with the more severe cases of Rhinitis, that is often triggered by environmental or other factors. Polyps are not necessarily with sinusitis, which is actually a chronic infection....but polyps can CAUSE sinusitis, even though they didn't in my case. I wish this was kind of a what came first, the chicken or the egg issue....but it is not. I guess my point is... if they recognize that you have Sinusitis, and additionally that you have Rhinitis, and they recognize that you have polyps...and they moved the polyps from the rhinitis to the sinusitis.... even though it is not part of the sinusitis evaluation (it is not even mentioned in the verbiage), I would think that would be a CUE. I admit that I am not well versed in dealings with the VA...maybe there is another path I should take?

I haven't looked at ebenefits in a few years. So after the conversation with my friend, I went to the site just to look at the rating criteria (SEE BELOW) and start doing some research. I am currently rated at 50% for Sinusitis, and 0% for Rhinitis. I have had a few more surgeries since these claims were SC'd. The exact verbiage on ebenefits reads: chronic pansinusitis (chronic rhinosinusitis with hyperplastic nasal polyposis), with multiple polyps......50%...Service connected allergic rhinitis.....................................................................................................................................................0%....Service connected The rating criteria: 6522 Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis: With polyps ......................................................................................................... 30 Without polyps, but with greater than 50-percent obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side............................... 10 General Rating Formula for Sinusitis (DC’s 6510 through 6514): Following radical surgery with chronic osteomyelitis, or; near constant sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain and tenderness of affected sinus, and purulent discharge or crusting after repeated surgeries................................................................... 50 Three or more incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment, or; more than six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting......................................................................................................... 30 One or two incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis requiring prolonged (lasting four to six weeks) antibiotic treatment, or; three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year of sinusitis characterized by headaches, pain, and purulent discharge or crusting ........................................................................................................ 10 Detected by X-ray only............................................................................................. 0

Hello, and thanks in advance for replies. In 2012, I submitted a claim for Allergic Rhinitis and Sinusitis. (I had multiple surgeries...crusting...discharge...polyps, blockages...got it all). The result was SC at 30% for rhinitis, (which is 30% with polyps, or 10% with blockage or 0% with no symptoms), and no mention of sinusitis at all, which has a maximum of 50%, and that is commensurate with my problems. I filed for reconsideration, and my ENT provided a thorough, easy to understand explanation in support of all the other records on how they are in fact 2 separate conditions. I was successful, and granted SC for Sinusitis at 50%. I was also granted SC for rhinitis, but at 0%. I was now well past a year, retired for over a decade, tired from all the Nexus record collection etc....and quite frankly....kind of wore out from the process and frustrated with the situation, and tired of dealing with it. Fast forward a few years....with a couple more surgeries under my belt, and a friend tells me I could file for an increase....so I go to Ebenefits and look at my record. To my amazement, It says I am 50% for "Sinusitis WITH MULTIPLE POLYPS" !!!! Polyps aren't even in the rating criteria for sinusitis !! They should have been with the Rhinitis the whole time....giving me the 30 %. Would this be a CUE? Thanks