Probiotics are live microorganisms that are normally present in the gut of a healthy individual. They are also known as “friendly bacteria” and have been used to help maintain the normal functioning of the immune system. They are safe and are commercially available in the form of yogurt, sachets, chewable tablets or flavored capsules. Since a number of nasal and sinus disorders are related to allergy and improper functioning of the immune system, we hypothesize that regular use of probiotics may help improve chronic nasal and sinus symptoms by boosting immune responses.

The project we propose is novel because it would be the first study evaluating the usefulness of probiotics for the larger population having chronic sinusitis rather than those having only allergic symptoms. We aim to assess whether regular use of probiotics will help improve symptoms of chronic sinusitis and will have a greater effect than placebo in this regard. The Ultimate Probiotic 12/12 Formula and Vital 10 are 2 reputable and commonly used brands.