According to a new study in the latest issue of the Archives of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery, saline irrigation treatments show greater efficacy versus saline spray for providing short-term relief of chronic nasal and sinus symptoms.

In the United States, 29.5 million people 18 years of age and older are affected by sinusitis [1]. Millions more are affected by other types of allergic and non-allergic rhinitis (meaning irritation and inflammation of the mucosal membrane of the nose). Some people can reduce symptom severity using medication, including antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. Antibiotics are frequently prescribed for acute and chronic sinusitis. However, their use far outweighs the predicted incidence of bacterial infection, suggesting that antibiotics are overprescribed for sinus infections. Regardless of the medication used however, for many patients, symptoms persist.