What the two terms mean in an adult assessment
The guideline describes clinical definitions. Four periods of stuffiness in a diary are useful to report even when you don’t know how many were infections. A clinician can ask about the pattern of each bout and whether symptoms were entirely gone in between. For suspected chronic sinusitis, an examination, nasal endoscopy or CT can help document inflammation. AAO-HNS guideline and action statements
| Pattern | What a clinician looks for | What your notes can add |
|---|---|---|
| Recurrent acute rhinosinusitis | The AAO-HNS guideline uses four or more episodes of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in a year with symptom-free intervals. Each episode has to meet clinical criteria. | Approximate episode dates, whether each was assessed, and when symptoms fully cleared |
| Chronic rhinosinusitis | At least 12 weeks of two or more core symptoms, such as blockage, drainage, facial pressure or reduced smell, with documented inflammation. | What persisted, which symptoms came and went, and what changed during a flare |
Free templates for this guide
Open a worksheet to fill in and print, or download a blank copy. Keep completed records private and share them only with people you choose.
Two fictional histories
Separate bouts. Priya recorded rough spells in January, April, August and November. Blockage and discharge cleared after each, and she wrote down several symptom-free dates. Only two spells were assessed by a clinician. She brings the dates and says that she doesn’t know whether all four spells were infections.
Symptoms stayed between worse weeks. Mark’s nose felt blocked most days from January through April. His sense of smell changed in February. He noticed pressure for several days in March. The pressure eased, while blockage remained. Some travel days have no notes. He brings the date range and describes the two symptoms that stayed.
Both histories contain difficult weeks. Priya’s notes help show the gaps between them. Mark’s notes help show what remained once the worst part passed. The gap can be the hardest thing to recall if you only ever write down symptoms on rough days.
Copy an episode and gap row
Use the printable episode and gap worksheet for several stretches. Use “clear” when the symptoms you’re tracking were absent, “ongoing” when something remained and “unknown” when you missed the check or can’t remember. If symptoms partly improved, say what got better and what stayed. If you’ve already got daily rows, the sinus symptom diary guide shows how to record an episode across several dates.
AirBloom is being built to keep clear days, flare notes and missing check-ins visible on the same dated history. That can help you find a week between bouts when a clinician asks how you felt.
| Period | Main symptoms | Between bouts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ____ to ____ | ____ | Clear / ongoing / unknown | Clinician visit, approximate dates or gaps |
| ____ to ____ | ____ | Clear / ongoing / unknown | Clinician visit, approximate dates or gaps |
Count the gaps you can describe
For each rough stretch, write the first date you noticed a change and the first date you remember feeling clear again. If your usual baseline includes blockage, use “back to usual, still partly blocked”. That is a useful observation when a clinician asks whether all symptoms went away.
If someone assessed a bout, add the date and what you were told if you remember. Keep your own observations in a separate line. The two details serve different purposes: one shows when you sought care, and the other shows what happened before and afterwards.
What to ask at your appointment
“Did these seem like separate episodes, or does the blockage in between change what you’d check?” is a practical question to bring. Ask for medical advice if symptoms keep returning or are getting worse. Take the dates you have and leave any unknowns visible in your one-page summary. NHS sinusitis guidance
Source: NHS sinusitis guidance
Sources & further reading
- AAO-HNS adult sinusitis guideline, table 8
- AAO-HNS guideline and action statements
- NHS sinusitis guidance
This guide provides general education, not individual medical advice. It has not been clinically reviewed. Talk to a qualified clinician about persistent, new or worsening symptoms. Follow your local emergency guidance for urgent concerns.
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