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Allergic Rhinitis And Sinusitis

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Vync

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

In celebration of the pollen season, details first, questions second, rating tables third...

Details:

I am SC for allergic rhinitis (max rating, with polyps, -10% for pre-existing condition) and also have a very long documented history of sinusitis while on active duty and have had periodic flare ups annually ever since.

Condition is visible on x-rays. I require near constant medication to keep the allergic rhinitis and sinusitis under a resemblance of control. They both are pretty bad all the time, but it becomes much more of a problem during pollen season.

It impacts all of my sinus regions. I also have enlarged turbinates and a deviated septum, which add to the problem.

Symptoms: Sinus congestion, white-yellow drainage, headaches, pain/tenderness, periodic bleeding, upper respiratory/sinus infections

Daily medication: Loratadine, Nasonex steorid spray, Phenylephrine antihistamine spray, Saline spray, Saline rinse

Periodic treatments: Benadryl, presnisone steroid cycles, 2-4 week courses of antibiotics (bactrim, augmentin, septra, etc...), pain medication for accompanying headaches

Bed rest: Not typically required

Questions:

1. Is it possible to also be SC for sinusitis or would that be considered pyramiding?

2. Based on the description of my sinus history and treatments, what estimated rating would I fall under?

Schedule of Ratings tables for Sinusitis and Allergic Rhinitis:

6510 Sinusitis, pansinusitis, chronic.

6511 Sinusitis, ethmoid, chronic.

6512 Sinusitis, frontal, chronic.

6513 Sinusitis, maxillary, chronic.

6514 Sinusitis, sphenoid, chronic.

General Rating Formula for Sinusitis (DC’s 6510 through 6514):

50% 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

30% 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

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

0% Detected by X-ray only

Note: An incapacitating episode of sinusitis means one that requires bed rest and treatment by a physician.

6522 Allergic or vasomotor rhinitis:

30% With polyps

10% Without polyps, but with greater than 50-percent obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side

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Vync: You say you have a deviated septom, was this due to trauma; ie: broken nose. If so, then you should be elligeble for another 10% and your Allergic Rinitis and Chronic Sinisits can be secondary issue that are exaserbated by the result of the Trauma.

The Deviated Septum causes a malformation of the air passages and can cause Symtoms that are alike in nature to the symtoms of Rynitis and/or Sinusitis.

You will need good evidence and an IME and IMO to give weight to the IMO and Nexus statement. I wish you luck as I am going through the same problems, My claim is at the DRO and has been their for about a year now or maybe less but not by much.

Rockhound Rider :D

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

Yes, it's deviated. I cannot remember if it was from trauma or not. I will need to dig through my medical records again to find out.

I hope your DRO claim goes well.

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

When I was originally SC, they did a CT scan and found blockage to be 100% on one side and 75% on the other. Still need to dig through my mountain of med records to see if I have it documented.

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Vync: Check your PM, I hope the information may be of help in your claim. For those interested in this information I will try and attach it hear. It is about eleven pages and deals with symptom associated with structural changes of the Nasal passages, such as Deveated Septom with or without pollops.

Rockhound Rider :)

Structural_causes_of_nsal_symptoms_An_Overview.doc

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  • Content Curator/HadIt.com Elder

The info was very informative. I still need to get a copy of my c-file before I can really move forward on any of this.

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