Polyps, or a measured obstruction
Under §4.97, DC 6522, allergic or vasomotor rhinitis has two levels and both turn on findings, not on how much it bothers you:
| Level | Criterion |
|---|---|
| 30% | With polyps |
| 10% | Without polyps, but with greater than 50% obstruction of the nasal passage on both sides, or complete obstruction on one side |
That is the whole schedule. There is no level for severity of symptoms as such, which surprises people whose rhinitis genuinely dominates their day.
What this means for evidence
The 30% level asks a factual question a clinician can answer: are polyps present? Imaging and endoscopy findings are what establish it, and a note saying "polyps" with a date is worth more than any amount of symptom description.
The 10% level asks for a measured obstruction, with specific thresholds and a specific pattern — over half on both sides, or complete on one. "Congested" does not meet it. The examination needs to record which side and how much.
Overlapping diagnoses
Rhinitis frequently sits alongside sinusitis, a deviated septum, or both. Separate diagnoses do not automatically produce separate evaluations for the same manifestations — read §4.14 before assuming they stack.
The ENT DBQ covers these conditions together, which is useful — and means the examiner may be addressing several at once. Check which the exam was requested for.
Rules and forms change, and exceptions apply. Follow the instructions on your own decision letter and the linked governing sources. This site does not track your deadlines or file anything for you.
Reviewed October 6, 2026