title: How patients experience antral irrigation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Antral irrigation earlier had an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of rhinosinusitis. Nowadays, it is often considered too unpleasant. However, the experience of patients of this procedure has been very seldom evaluated. Nor has the effect on pain in rhinosinusitis been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' experience of discomfort and pain during antral irrigation. We also assessed facial pain caused by rhinosinusitis before the procedure and pain soon after the procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Doctors and 121 patients completed their questionnaires independently after antral irrigation in a university clinic, in a private hospital, and at a communal health center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients experienced mild pain during antral irrigation (mean and median visual analog scale score: <3). Their experience of pain during antral irrigation was closely comparable to pain during dental calculus scaling. Facial pain assessed before antral irrigation decreased quickly after the procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Antral irrigation was well tolerated as an outpatient procedure. The procedure seems to relieve facial pain caused by the disease quickly. The role of antral irrigation in the treatment of acute rhinosinusitis will need further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland ; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blomgren
authors.affiliation: Turku Vaccine Research Clinic, University of Tampere Vaccine Research Center, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Lotta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eliander
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland ; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Maija
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hytönen
authors.affiliation: Inter-Municipal Health Centre of Kuusiokunnat, Ähtäri, Finland.
authors.forename: Suvi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ylinen
authors.affiliation: Dextra Medical Center, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laitio
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland ; University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Virkkula
keywords: acute sinusitis; pain; pain measurement; questionnaires; therapy