bilateral nasal blockage?

[kidhuff3]

Is there a guide on what percentages bilateral nasal blockage is? Its labeled as "nasal surgery in service, with residual clogged bilateral nostrils", In my smr and C&P.  

Edited August 2, 2016 by kidhuff3

[seejeremy]

There is.  It is in CFR 38, part 4.96.  Essentially, if one nostril is completely blocked, or both nostrils are 50% blocked, it is rated at 10%.  I have this rating, and I also receive 10% for rhinitis and 10% for sinusitis.  There are others here that are far more knowledgeable than I am and I'm sure they will chime in to correct me or offer additional insight.

[Vync]

This might help, but keep in mind there are a lot of codes, diagnosis, situations, etc...

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?rgn=div5;node=38:1.0.1.1.5#se38.1.4_197

§4.97   Schedule of ratings—respiratory system.

	Rating
DISEASES OF THE NOSE AND THROAT
6502   Septum, nasal, deviation of:
Traumatic only,
With 50-percent obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side	10
6504   Nose, loss of part of, or scars:
Exposing both nasal passages	30
Loss of part of one ala, or other obvious disfigurement	10
Note: Or evaluate as DC 7800, scars, disfiguring, head, face, or neck.
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):
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
Note: An incapacitating episode of sinusitis means one that requires bed rest and treatment by a physician.
6515   Laryngitis, tuberculous, active or inactive.
Rate under §§4.88c or 4.89, whichever is appropriate.
6516   Laryngitis, chronic:
Hoarseness, with thickening or nodules of cords, polyps, submucous infiltration, or pre-malignant changes on biopsy	30
Hoarseness, with inflammation of cords or mucous membrane	10
6518   Laryngectomy, total.	1100
Rate the residuals of partial laryngectomy as laryngitis (DC 6516), aphonia (DC 6519), or stenosis of larynx (DC 6520).
6519   Aphonia, complete organic:
Constant inability to communicate by speech	1100
Constant inability to speak above a whisper	60
Note: Evaluate incomplete aphonia as laryngitis, chronic (DC 6516).
6520   Larynx, stenosis of, including residuals of laryngeal trauma (unilateral or bilateral):
Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV-1) less than 40 percent of predicted value, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction, or; permanent tracheostomy	100
FEV-1 of 40- to 55-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction	60
FEV-1 of 56- to 70-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction	30
FEV-1 of 71- to 80-percent predicted, with Flow-Volume Loop compatible with upper airway obstruction	10
Note: Or evaluate as aphonia (DC 6519).
6521   Pharynx, injuries to:
Stricture or obstruction of pharynx or nasopharynx, or; absence of soft palate secondary to trauma, chemical burn, or granulomatous disease, or; paralysis of soft palate with swallowing difficulty (nasal regurgitation) and speech impairment	50
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
6523   Bacterial rhinitis:
Rhinoscleroma	50
With permanent hypertrophy of turbinates and with greater than 50-percent obstruction of nasal passage on both sides or complete obstruction on one side	10
6524   Granulomatous rhinitis:
Wegener's granulomatosis, lethal midline granuloma	100
Other types of granulomatous infection	20

 

 

[Fat]

Never give up.

Rhinitis is based on polyps being present or 50% blockage in either nostril.

Sinusitis is mucosal thickening in the sinus regions and frequency of sinusitis episodes.

X-rays (Waters View) and CT Scans are the best diagnostic tools

[Vync]

2 minutes ago, Fat said:

Never give up.

Rhinitis is based on polyps being present or 50% blockage in either nostril.

Sinusitis is mucosal thickening in the sinus regions and frequency of sinusitis episodes.

X-rays (Waters View) and CT Scans are the best diagnostic tools

Right on. X-ray kinda showed my deviated septum, but the CAT scan really did.

[kidhuff3]

I don't know if my issue is listed, I just had a sinus surgery to unclog my nose, and now both are clogged. I can't remember if I had polyps or not. 

[Vync]

9 minutes ago, kidhuff3 said:

I don't know if my issue is listed, I just had a sinus surgery to unclog my nose, and now both are clogged. I can't remember if I had polyps or not. 

This should be in your service treatment records (STRs). If you don't have copies, I strongly recommend you get them. It is really good to have copies of everything.  You ever hear the old saying, "Chance favors the prepared mind"?

I got copies of mine and went through every single page, back and front, got help reading the scribbled handwriting and looked up all the medical abbreviation symbols. I also obtained all my non-VA and VAMC medical records and did the same thing. I then looked at everything for which I had a current diagnosis and matched them up with my STRs so I would know the conditions which could be claimed.