PHX Reporter

Only a doctor can properly diagnose sinusitis, but if you think you might have this ailment, a Scottsdale-based sinus and allergy treatment center has come up with a quiz for that.

Arizona Breathe Free Sinus & Allergy Centers' 20-point Sinus Self-Assessment Quiz queries about the various symptoms of sinusitis and their various degrees of severity, from nonexistent to severe.

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"It's hard to find relief if you don't have a starting point to a conversation with your doctor," information above the quiz says. "Our easy self-diagnostic test below can help you figure out which symptoms bother you most and give you a boost on the road to real relief."

Take the quiz, provide a little more information and someone in the center will respond.

Sinusitis, inflammation of the sinuses' tissue lining, is a common ailment that can be debilitating, the center's Dr. John Stewart, who is board certified in otolaryngology, said in a PHX Reporter news story published in April.

"A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that over a one-year period, there were up to 73 million restricted-activity days related to sinusitis and total direct medical costs of almost $2.4 billion, not including surgery or radiographic imaging," Stewart said. "Unresolved sinusitis becomes a quality-of-life issue, taking people away from their jobs, family, friends and obligations."

Sinuses are healthy when they fill with air and allow for obstruction-free breathing, but sinusitis sufferers endure blockages and fluids where blocked and filled with fluid, a breeding ground for germs and infection, according to WebMD's page on sinusitis and sinus infection.

Conditions that can cause sinusitis include the common cold, allergic rhinitis, nasal polyps and a deviated septum.

Sinusitis comes in several varieties, including acute sinusitis that often starts with cold-like symptoms that last for weeks, subacute sinusitis and chronic sinusitis that can last for months, and recurrent sinusitis that reoccurs several times a year.

“Treating sinusitis can have significant financial impact over time when multiple over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, steroids are having to be purchased to manage (it)," the center's Physician Assistant Diana Ruiloba said in the PHX Reporter news story. "Multiple medical visits to get symptoms managed can lead to [a] significant cost. Sinusitis flareups are leading to you having to take days off from work or school, (and) this can be substantial over time."

The center's quiz steps the participant through 20 common sinusitis symptoms, such as a clogged or runny nose, facial pain or pressure, loss of smell or taste, and difficulty falling asleep. The participant also is asked about the severity of their symptoms.