How common is sinusitis?

Common: Sinusitis... Bacterial infection of the sinuses affects about 34 million people a year. Conservative medical treatment handles the vast majority of cases. At times surgical procedures like endoscopic sinus surgery or newer balloon technologies are used to open diseased sinuses.

Very common: Anything "-itis" means it is inflamed. Causes of inflammation include allergic, chemical (inhaled irritating fumes), mechanical/traumatic, and infectious. If the sinuses are inflamed and swollen, this often leads to a swelling shut of the sinus cavities in the cheeks, nose, and forehead, causing pressure and pain, which can predispose them to infection. See your internist if saline rinses fail.