Vibrating headband could unblock a chronic stuffy nose, research suggests

• Tests on 52 people showed improvement in symptoms within a week of using the device.

A vibrating headband could offer a new, drug-free way to unblock a chronic blocked nose.

New research has shown that the headband is as effective at reducing symptoms as nasal steroid sprays, which, while effective, can cause side effects such as nosebleeds.

Some decongestant sprays are also not suitable for certain patients, such as those with high blood pressure.

Patients wear the headband placed on the forehead for two 15-minute sessions per day. Tests on 52 people showed improvement in symptoms within a week of using the device.

Chronic nasal congestion affects one in five people at some point. Its causes are diverse, including taking medications such as beta-blockers and allergies to animal hair, dust mites or pollen (allergic rhinitis).

Whatever the trigger, the irritation causes the blood vessels in the nasal lining to swell, leading to excessive mucus production.

The swelling may extend beyond the nasal passages to the sinuses (air-filled cavities in the skull that are connected to the nasal passages by small channels). Normally, these allow mucus to flow out.

The new headband delivers sound waves into the bones above the nose, the vibrations propagating towards the nasal cavity and blocked sinuses where they are said to have a dual action: helping to reduce swelling of blood vessels (breaking down inflammatory cells), while helping physically. move mucus.

The battery-powered headband, which can easily be used at home, is controlled by an app on a smartphone. Patients first use it to take several images of their face which are analyzed to produce a grid from which the volume of the nose and sinuses is determined. calculated. The app then decides the best frequency for the vibrations.

In a recent month-long trial, 52 patients with chronic nasal congestion used the vibrating headband or a placebo headband (which made noise but did not emit vibrations).

Those who received the vibrating headband experienced similar improvements to certain nasal sprays and were significantly less congested than the group who received the placebo headband.

The University of Texas researchers, writing in the journal International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, said the bracelet “could be an attractive alternative for patients who have difficulty adhering to pharmacological treatments.”

Commenting on the approach, Professor Jaydip Ray, ear, nose and throat consultant at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is an interesting study. The social, economic and professional impact of nasal congestion and blockage on many people who suffer from it is high.

He added that many people self-medicate by using over-the-counter nasal decongestants for prolonged periods, “resulting in rebound congestion.” [when the problem gets worse because of overuse of the medication] which is even more difficult to cure.”

He said that “the positive results of this innovative multi-center pilot trial using a non-intrusive, non-pharmacological treatment option are very encouraging”, but that “larger studies would be necessary”.

More than six in ten patients who were dependent on medications were able to stop or reduce them after a one-time treatment with radiofrequency waves to destroy the posterior nasal nerve (which helps control mucus production).

• Zapping a nerve in the nose may help treat chronic nasal congestion, according to a trial of 129 patients from Witten/Herdecke University in Germany and other centers.