Antibiotics have been the most common intervention for both acute and chronic sinusitis, and when antibiotics are prescribed for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, amoxicillin has been recommended as the first choice (Rosenfeld et al 2007a). Frequent prescription of antibiotics can lead to an increase in antibiotic resistance (Ahovuo-Saloranta et al 2008, Ferech et al 2006) and current guidelines provide more conservative recommendations for antibiotic prescription for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (Ahovuo-Saloranta et al 2008, Lindbaek, 2004, Rosenfeld et al 2007a). Current guidelines recommend delaying antibiotic prescription for up to 7 days in patients

without severe illness (Rosenfeld et al 2007a). Although reviews report superior effect of antibiotics compared with placebo after seven days (Lindbaek, 2004, Rosenfeld et al 2007a), others claim that antibiotics are not justified even after 7–10 days (Williamson Selleck OSI-744 et al 2007, Young et al 2008). However, physicians often feel pressured selleckchem by patients to prescribe antibiotics (Varonen et al 2004). Perhaps it is not surprising therefore that the practice of prescribing antibiotics for common infectious diseases,

including sinusitis, has not changed significantly in spite of new recommendations and efforts to implement them (Ferech et al 2006, Neumark et al 2009, Varonen et al 2007). The continuing debate and controversy about prescribing antibiotics for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis, and the resistance to change in practice, motivate a search

for alternative interventions. Rapid reduction of the symptoms of acute bacterial rhinosinusitis with therapeutic ultrasound has been observed in the clinic. However, no controlled studies have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of antibiotics with therapeutic ultrasound in patients with clinically diagnosed acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in primary care. The specific research questions were: 1. Is there any difference in the effect of therapeutic ultrasound and antibiotics (amoxicillin) crotamiton on pain and congestion for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in the short-term? If therapeutic ultrasound gives symptomatic relief equivalent to amoxicillin, it may serve as an alternative to antibiotics. A randomised trial was conducted in a primary care setting in Norway. Participants were recruited from consecutive patients coming to a single general practice with sinusitislike symptoms, where they were diagnosed by a physician (AL). After collection of baseline measures, the participants were randomly allocated to an experimental or a control group. The allocation sequence was computer generated in random permutated blocks of 6 or 8 and was concealed from the recruiter and participants in sealed envelopes which were opened by a nurse. The experimental group received four consecutive days of ultrasound and the control group received a 10-day course of antibiotics.