Effect of Electromagnetic Therapy on Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Chronic sinusitis, or chronic rhinosinusitis, is an inflammatory condition defined by symptomatic inflammation of the paranasal sinuses lasting longer than 3 months. Common presenting symptoms include nasal obstruction, facial pressure or fullness, nasal discharge (anterior or posterior), and olfactory loss. Furthermore, chronic sinusitis is associated with reductions in patient quality of life, sleep quality, and daily productivity.

A pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) has an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and improves the microcirculation of the mucosal membrane of the nasal cavity. It has been suggested that magnetic therapy can be used in treating chronic sinusitis but there is a scarce of studies about its usage.

Inclusion criteria

• patients suffering from mild to moderate symptoms of rhinosinusitis.

Exclusion criteria

• pregnant or breastfeeding women.
• patients with definite deviated nasal septum, sinusitis, or history of operation within the last 6 months.
• patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, malignancy, active pulmonary tuberculosis, infection, active respiratory disease like asthma, or other systemic diseases.
• patients with long-term use of corticosteroids or immunosuppressive agents.
• patients who were involved in another clinical study within 30 days.
• patients who were unable to comply with the follow-up schedules.
• patients who had used antihistamines within 1 week, topical corticosteroids within 2 weeks, systemic corticosteroids within 4 weeks, anti-cholinergic drugs within 3 days, antileukotriene drugs within 1 week, decongestants within 3 days, tricyclic antidepressants or phenothiazines within 2 weeks, non-steroidal analgesics within 2 weeks, and other drugs which the researchers believed were inappropriate.