Nasal irrigation for the alleviation of sinonasal symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effect of nasal irrigation on sinonasal symptoms.


METHODS
A total of 150 adult subjects with chronic sinusitis symptoms were recruited from the community and assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: nasal irrigation with bulb syringe, nasal irrigation with nasal irrigation pot, or control treatment with reflexology massage. Groups 1 and 2 performed daily hypertonic saline irrigation with 1 device for 2 weeks and then with the other device for 2 weeks. Group 3 performed reflexology massage daily for 2 weeks. Prospective data collected included pretreatment Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, pretreatment and posttreatment Rhinosinusitis Outcomes Measure, daily medication use, subjective treatment efficacy, and preference of irrigation method.


RESULTS
There was a significant and equivalent improvement in Rhinosinusitis Outcomes Measure 31 score after 2 weeks of intervention in each treatment group; 35% of subjects reported decreased use of sinus medication.


CONCLUSIONS
Daily nasal irrigation using either a bulb syringe, nasal irrigation pot, and daily reflexology massage were equally efficacious and resulted in improvement in the symptoms of chronic sinusitis in over 70% of subjects. Medication usage was decreased in approximately one third of participants regardless of intervention.
Heatley
D G
DG
Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison, WI 53792-7375, USA. heatley@surgery.wisc.edu
McConnell
K E
KE
Kille
T L
TL
Leverson
G E
GE
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome