Annually, 37 million Americans suffer from chronic sinusitis. Symptoms might linger for up to 12 weeks at a time. Read on to learn about VA rating and ways to prove service connection for sinusitis.
Sinusitis, often known as a sinus infection, that causes the following symptoms:
• Nasal inflammation
• A runny nose and thick, colorful discharge
• Drainage or post-nasal drip
• Tenderness, pain, and swelling around the eyes, nose, cheeks, and forehead
• Congestion
• Headaches
Other disorders such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, ear infections, and deviated septum may be associated with sinusitis.
Service Connection For Sinusitis
On August 2, 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs began processing claims for asthma, rhinitis, and sinusitis. For people exposed during their military service and whose disease appeared within ten years of their service, claims are now being evaluated on a presumptive basis.
For veterans who served in the Southwest Asia area of operations, Syria, Djibouti, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, particulate matter pollution has been linked to chronic sinusitis.
To establish a successful service connection, you must provide evidence of:
• The claimant's current disability diagnosis
• An incident that occurred in-service caused or aggravated the disability being claimed.
• A medical link exists between the current, diagnosed handicap and the incident in the workplace.

Secondary Service Connection For Sinusitis
Secondary service links are for those with disabilities that aren't life-threatening. These are disabilities arising from a service-connected handicap that has worsened or caused an existing or new sickness, injury, or condition.
It must be demonstrated that the service-connected disability is causally related to the secondary injury or disease. To accomplish so, most persons show a sickness development over time.
How Does The VA Rate Sinusitis?
The VA must assess if you qualify for disability compensation after your C&P exam. Sinusitis, para sinusitis, and chronic sinusitis are all associated with Diagnostic Code 6510. The following is the general VA rating for sinusitis formula:
• A rating of 0% is awarded if sinusitis is discovered by X-ray solely.
• Suppose sinusitis causes one or two incapacitating episodes per year and requires long-term antibiotic therapy (four to six weeks), a 10% grade is given. When a person has three to six non-incapacitating episodes per year with symptoms of purulent discharge, crusting, pain, and headaches, a 10% rating is utilized.
• If three or more incapacitating incidents per year require long-term antibiotics for four to six weeks, a rating of 30% disability is given. For cases of six or more non-incapacitating bouts with symptoms of purulent discharge, crusting, discomfort, and headaches, a 30% grade may be utilized.
• Those who require radical surgery for sinusitis with chronic osteomyelitis receive a 50% disability rating. Those with near-constant sinusitis who continue to have symptoms after multiple procedures may be assigned a 50% VA rating for sinusitis.
For vasomotor or allergic rhinitis without polyps but 50% or higher blockage of the nasal passageways on both sides, a 10% grade is utilized under Diagnostic Code 6522. It can also be employed if one side is entirely blocked. If polyps (growths) are detected, the score increases to