OBJECTIVES: To compare traditional Chinese acupuncture, minimal acupuncture at non-acupoints and conventional treatment for chronic sinusitis. DESIGN: A three-armed single blind randomised controlled study. SETTING: In an outpatient specialist clinic, we recruited 65 patients with symptoms of sinusitis > 3 months and signs of sinusitis on computed tomography (CT). INTERVENTIONS: We randomised patients to one of three study arms: (1) 2 to 4 weeks of medication with antibiotics, corticosteroids, 0.9% sodium chloride solution, and local decongestants (n = 21), (2) 10 treatments with traditional Chinese acupuncture (n = 25), or (3) 10 treatments with minimal acupuncture at non-acupoints (n = 19). OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in sinus soft tissue swelling on CT, symptoms of sinusitis, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), using the two component summary scales of the Short Form 36 and a rating scale. RESULTS: In the conventional treatment group, sinus soft tissue swelling was reduced over 4 weeks (p = 0.04), and HRQoL improved over 12 weeks (p = 0.01 to 0.05). Pairwise comparisons of changes in total symptom score between the groups showed signs of a difference between conventional medication and sham over 4 weeks (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Sinus soft tissue swelling was reduced in the conventional treatment group over 4 weeks, and HRQoL improved over 12 weeks. Only a non-significant difference in symptom score change over 4 and 12 weeks was shown between conventional medication and traditional Chinese acupuncture.

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