Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are soft, painless growths inside the nasal passages. They often occur in the area where the upper sinuses drain into your nose (where your eyes, nose, and cheekbones meet). You may not even know that you have polyps because they lack nerve sensation.

Polyps can grow large enough to block your nasal passages, resulting in chronic congestion. Symptoms can include:

• a sensation that your nose is blocked
• runny nose
• postnasal drip, which is when excess mucus runs down the back of your throat
• nasal stuffiness
• nasal congestion
• reduced sense of smell
• breathing through your mouth
• a feeling of pressure in your forehead or face
• sleep apnea
• snoring

Medications that reduce inflammation may help reduce the size of the polyp and relieve symptoms of congestion.

Spraying nasal steroids into the nose can reduce your runny nose and the sensation of blockage by shrinking the polyp. However, if you stop taking them, symptoms may quickly return. Examples of nasal steroids include:

• fluticasone (Flonase, Veramyst)
• budesonide (Rhinocort)
• mometasone (Nasonex)

An oral or injectable steroid, such as prednisone, may be an option if nasal sprays don’t work. These aren’t a long-term solution due to their serious side effects, including fluid retention, increased blood pressure, and elevated pressure in the eyes.

Antihistamines or antibiotics may also treat allergies or sinus infections caused by inflammation in the nose.

Surgery

If your symptoms still aren’t improving, surgery can remove the polyps completely. The type of surgery depends on the size of the polyp. A polypectomy is an outpatient surgery done with a small suction device or a microdebrider that cuts and removes soft tissue, including the mucosa.

For larger polyps, your doctor can perform an endoscopic sinus surgery using a thin, flexible endoscope with a tiny camera and small tools on the end. Your doctor will guide the endoscope into your nostrils, find the polyps or other obstructions, and remove them. Your doctor may also enlarge the openings to your sinus cavities. This type of surgery is an outpatient procedure most of the time.

After surgery, nasal sprays and saline washes can prevent polyps from returning. In general, reducing the inflammation of the nasal passages with nasal sprays, anti-allergy medications, and saline washes can help prevent nasal polyps from developing.