Chronic rhinosinusitis: an important overview.
Sinusitis, in general is a significant and increasing health problem resulting in a large financial burden in South Africa and to society in general. Increasing antibiotic resistance is a major problem with no new antibiotics on the immediate horizon and poor & inappropriate antibiotic usage amplifying this burden. Correct dosages of antibiotics are often not covered in formularies whereas inappropriate formulations of antibiotics and other inappropriate medications often are. The “Updated guideline for the management of upper respiratory tract infections in South Africa: 2008”, clearly defines the treatment of the various forms of sinusitis, with appropriate antibiotics, where required, and their dosages clearly laid out1. This guideline appears to be poorly applied in general. Inappropriate use of other non-antibiotic, especially over the counter treatments adds considerably to these issues especially costs2.

More important though is that accurate diagnosis is an absolute essential for treatment of the various forms of sinusitis. 

Rhinitis and sinusitis usually coexist and are concurrent in most; the correct terminology is now rhinosinusitis.3