Nasal Polyps: Symptoms, causes & Treatment
Overview:
Nasal polyps are painless, soft, and noncancerous. They grow inside the nose.
They are caused by chronic inflammation and are associated with asthma, frequent infection, allergic reaction, drug sensitivity, and certain immune disorders.
Furthermore, small nasal polyps may not cause severe symptoms. But, They can block the nasal passages and lead to breathing problems. (1.2)
Summary:
They are painless, soft, and noncancerous. They grow inside the nose.
Symptoms:
Small polyps do not cause any severe symptoms. But, they may lead to:
- A runny nose
- Persistent stuffiness
- Postnasal drip
- Absent sense of smell
- Loss of sense of taste
- Headache
- Facial pain
- Pain in your upper teeth
- A sense of pressure over your forehead and face
- Snoring
- Frequent nosebleeds (1.2.3)
Causes:
Polyps grow due to the mucous membranes lining the nose or sinuses changing. The membranes become inflamed for a long period or become inflamed again. The inflammation signs are redness, swelling, and fluid retention.
Researchers and scientists do not yet completely comprehend what causes nasal polyps. Certain things can grow the risk of getting nasal polyps, such as
- Asthma
- A bad reaction to taking aspirin
- Cystic fibrosis
- Chronic or recurring sinus infections
- Allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
To mention: They are irregular in children. (1.2.3.4)
Summary:
Researchers and scientists do not yet completely comprehend what causes nasal polyps.
Risk Factors:
- Asthma
- Vitamin D deficiency
- Allergic fungal sinusitis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Aspirin sensitivity
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
Diagnosis:
If someone has the symptoms, talk to a physician. To diagnose nasal polyps. They may:
- Ask about the health history, especially asthma, allergic reactions, infections, and asthma.
- Ask about the symptoms.
- Look inside your nose with a nasal endoscope (thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera and light).
- Request a CT scan to take clear pictures inside your sinuses. (1)
Treatment:
Treatment from a General Practitioner:
A GP must be able to tell if a patient has nasal polyps by examining the nose.
If a patient has nasal polyps, they will be given steroid nose spray or a drip to diminish the polyps.
They may be given steroid pills, in most cases for up to 2 weeks, if:
- The polyps are large
- Nose drops and sprays did not work
Make sure to follow the GP’s advice about how to utilize the medicine and how long to take it.
Surgery to remove them:
If there are no signs of improvement and progress after about ten weeks, the General Practitioner may recommend surgery to remove the polyps.
Most cases who have surgery notice an improvement, but it’s familiar for polyps to grow again, usually within a few years.
To mention:
A patient may need to use a steroid nasal spray after the surgery to avoid the polyps from growing back again quickly. (3)
Request an appointment if you want to see an otolaryngologist by CliniDo