WEDNESDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Nasal saline irrigation is superior to saline nasal sprays in the treatment of chronic nasal and sinus symptoms, according to research published in the Archives of Otolaryngology--Head & Neck Surgery in November.
Melissa A. Pynnonen, M.D., of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, and colleagues randomized 127 adults with chronic nasal and sinus symptoms to receive eight weeks of treatment with large volume, low positive pressure nasal saline irrigation or saline nasal spray.
Compared to the saline spray group, patients treated with large volume irrigation reported fewer symptoms at each time point assessed. At study completion, 40 percent of patients in the irrigation group reported symptoms occurring "often or always" compared to 61 percent in the spray group. There were no differences noted between groups in medication use.
"The benefits derived from nasal saline use are likely due to one or more local effects, including decreased viscosity of nasal secretions, decreased edema of the nasal mucosa, and removal of debris, bacteria, allergens and inflammatory mediators by the mechanical 'lavage' action of saline irrigation," the authors write. "The greater efficacy of irrigation over saline spray may be due to greater volume, increased delivery pressure, and mechanical debridement achieved with irrigations."
This study was funded by NeilMed Pharmaceuticals of Santa Rosa, Calif.
Abstract
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