CRS (chronic rhinosinusitis) is defined as the inflammation of the nose and paranasal sinuses. Despite numerous studies and hypotheses related to its etiology, it remains poorly understood. CRS occurs in two clinical phenotypes: CRS with nasal polyps and CRS without nasal polyps, according to the endoscopic findings. It is among the most common chronic conditions. Prevalence od CRS is 5-15% in the urban community in Europe and USA. Major symptoms are nasal blockage, nasal discharge, facial pain or pressure and loss of smell. Factors associated with CRS are ciliary impairment, allergy, asthma, immunocompromised state, microorganisms, local host factors and aspirin sensitivity. Diagnosis of CRS is based on assessment of rhinosinusitis symptoms and endoscopy or imaging methods. CRS has negative impact on health-related quality of life. Quality of life has been characterized as the functional effects of an illness and its therapy, perceived by the patient and it needs to be measured in a valid way. Major quality of life instruments are generic and disease specific questionnaires. For choosing the adequate instrument, the relationship between the characteristics of the questionnaire and the purpose for which it should be used, should be considered. Besides from the basic rhinosinusal symptoms, CRS patients carry a burden of more complex quality-of-life issues, such as sleep disturbance, fatigue, depression and sexual dysfunction. Although the uniform managament of CRS does not exist, medical and surgical treatment significantly improve quality of life. Both kinds of treatment lead to a similar improvement on the quality of life of CRS patients except in cases of the massive nasal polyposis. Apart from the direct impair of patients health, CRS presents a significant socioeconomic burden as it causes many direct and indirect costs. Majority of the indirect costs and a major financial problem are absenteeism and presenteeism. Adequate treatment improves health related quality of life and reudces socioeconomic burden of CRS.