Chronic Sinusitis – Mnemonic

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Here is a quick mnemonic “INFLAMMATORY SINUS“ to remember about Chronic Sinusitis

This can be valuable for patients as well as medical doctors, nurses & students doing their clinical rounds. You can also find it very useful for med exams like USMLE, MBBS, NEET PG, FMGE, NExT, MCAT & NCLEX exams

Chronic Sinusitis : How To Remember Easily ?

  • I – Inflammation lasting >12 weeks characterizes chronic sinusitis.
  • N – Nasal discharge or postnasal drip is a cardinal symptom of chronic sinusitis.
  • F – Facial pain or pressure is commonly experienced in chronic sinusitis.
  • L – Lowered sense of smell, known as hyposmia or anosmia, can occur in chronic sinusitis.
  • A – Allergic rhinitis and asthma often coexist with chronic sinusitis.
  • M – Mucosal changes may not be evident in up to 40% of patients with chronic sinus symptoms.
  • M – Mold, tobacco smoke, and other airborne toxins can contribute to chronic sinusitis.
  • A – Anterior rhinoscopy, nasal endoscopy, or imaging can confirm the diagnosis of sinus inflammation.
  • T – Three main types of chronic sinusitis are chronic sinusitis without polyps, chronic sinusitis with polyps, and allergic fungal sinusitis.
  • O – Occupational factors, such as exposure to irritants, can contribute to chronic sinusitis.
  • R – Rhinosinusitis associated with polyp formation is more common among men.
  • Y – Young adults and children are more likely to develop chronic sinusitis without polyps.
  • S – Sinusitis can be associated with bacterial infection or colonization.
  • I – Imaging with noncontrast CT is the preferred modality for evaluating sinusitis.
  • N – Nasal polyps appear as white, gray, tan, or yellow translucent growths on anterior rhinoscopy.
  • U – Unilateral symptoms or polyps, especially if associated with bloody discharge, should raise concerns about tumors.
  • S – Sinusitis can be resistant to medical treatments in cases of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis.

Mnemonic : INFLAMMATORY SINUS

Dr. Arin Nandi

Passionate About Medical Science & Helping Future Doctors Achieve Top Ranks In Medical Exams. He is professionally a dentist as well as a public health expert from JIPMER (1), (2)working in health department
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