Does This Patient Have Sinusitis?

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
DOES THIS PATIENT HAVE SINUSITIS? Clinical Scenario The patient presents to your office with a "bad cold." Her symptoms began 5 days ago when a runny nose, a scratchy throat, generalized malaise, and a nonproductive cough developed. Her symptoms are gradually improving with an over-the-counter cough medicine, but during the past 24 hours a "sinus headache" has developed. The patient is concerned that she may have "sinus." Of note, it is the middle of "cold and flu" season, and this is the fifth patient you've seen today with upper respiratory-tract symptoms. Why Is This an Important Question to Answer With a Clinical Examination? The patient's story is familiar to primary care clinicians. Indeed, the most frequent diagnoses made by primary care practitioners include nasal problems such as allergic and infectious rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis, and bacterial sinusitis.1Given the constant assault of allergens, environmental pollutants, respiratory viruses, and rapid temperature