Can a doctor diagnose sinusitis just by looking up your nose?!

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

No, s/he can't. Minimally you would need an xray of the sinuses. The health care provider will likely tap on your face along the sinus pathway to diagnose sinusitis. This percussion is done to reveal tenderness often associated with chronic sinusitis. It may be necessary to undergo a CT or an MRI of the skull to look more in depth at the sinus track. This diagnostic test is also used to evaluate the thickness of the sinus tissues.
Your doctor may shine a light on your sinuses. If sinusitis is present, the sinuses will not glow as they do in normal, uninfected sinuses. Prepare for an examination using a nasal endoscope. This instrument is a thin flexible tube your doctor will insert through your nostrils to view the inside of the sinuses. A fiber-optic light clearly defines any signs of sinusitis. Expect to wait a few days to get results from nasal and sinus cultures to identify specific bacterial pathogens that might be the cause of sinusitis.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2048238_diagnose…