You are in Medical Library . Sinusitis is a very common disease in the U.S., but it may be overdiagnosed.
Women appear to be at higher risk than are men.
Rates in the U.S. are higher in the Midwest and South than in the Northeast and West. The number of office visits for the problem has increased from 9 million in 1989 to more than 30 million today. Some experts believe that factors accounting for this rise include increased air pollution and exposure to colds and flu from day care centers. Other experts claim that the actual incidence of sinusitis has not increased significantly. They argue that the apparent rise is due to better imaging techniques that are sensitive to sinus abnormalities, which may not actually be causing sinusitis.