Understanding Nasal Polyps and Their Impact on Health
Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths inside the nose and sinuses. They hang like drops or pears, partially obstructing the nasal airway.
Nasal polyps form because of constant irritation of the internal lining of the nose from allergies, asthma, and other chronic or long-lasting inflammatory diseases.
Nasal polyps can impact health by continuing the cycle of chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation causes nasal polyps. Nasal polyps obstruct the nasal airway and worsen the inflammation. Thus, visiting your health professional for diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis is important.
The Connection Between Nasal Polyps and Chronic Inflammatory Disease
It is not yet understood why some people develop nasal polyps while others don’t. There is evidence that people with different immune system responses develop polyps and people with different chemical markers in their nasal lining that produce mucus. Nasal polyps are most common in young adults and middle-aged adults.
Nasal polyps are associated with chronic nasal and sinus inflammation, aka chronic rhinosinusitis, lasting 12 weeks or more. Chronic rhinosinusitis can result from chronic inflammatory diseases such as recurring infections or allergies.
Potential complications can arise from the coexistence of nasal polyps and chronic inflammatory diseases. Nasal polyps can block airflow and normal drainage in the nasal cavity, negatively impacting recovery. Complications then occur if left untreated.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Nasal Polyps
Chronic sinusitis with nasal symptoms can feel like a cold. But a cold goes away after a few days. Here are common symptoms associated with nasal polyps:
- Persistent stuffiness that causes difficulty breathing through the nose
- Less sense of smell
- Less sense of taste
- Postnasal drip that causes a constant need to swallow
- Runny nose
- Snoring
- Headache
- Pain over the face and in upper teeth
- Pressure over your forehead and face where the sinuses are
- Itching around the eyes
- Cough
- Frequent nosebleeds
Why Seeking Healthcare Provider Expertise is Essential
With the symptoms and cascading complications from chronic inflammation, it is important to consult your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. They can diagnose based on your symptoms and medical history through their expertise. Or they can refer you to other healthcare providers that can give diagnostic tests. Here are diagnostic tools and techniques healthcare providers can use to confirm whether you have nasal polyps.
Nasoscope
Your healthcare provider can use a non-invasive technique by looking into your nasal cavity with a lighted instrument called a nasoscope or otoscope.
Nasal Endoscopy
Your healthcare provider can perform a nasal endoscopy if the nasal polyp is possibly deeper inside your sinuses. In this procedure, your healthcare provider will guide a thin, lightweight and flexible tube with a light and camera on the end into your nasal passages.
CTI or MRI
Once polyps are confirmed in the nasal cavity, the healthcare provider must know their exact size and location. They will use a CT scan or MRI scan to do so. The scans will confirm if the polyps have deformed the bone area or rule out other types of growth, such as cancerous growth.
Allergy Tests
Aside from finding polyps, your healthcare provider must also determine the source of your chronic inflammation. They may perform allergy tests.
Allergy tests involve testing liquid variations of different allergens on the skin of your forearm or upper back. You may feel minimal pricking after the substances make contact with your skin. After 15 minutes, your healthcare provider will check for allergic reactions.
Blood Test
They may also order a blood test to check for low levels of Vitamin D associated with nasal polyps.
Test for Cystic Fibrosis
Your healthcare provider may test for cystic fibrosis if the patient is a child. The standard diagnostic test is a noninvasive sweat test to determine the salinity of the child’s sweat.
Potential Risks of Untreated Nasal Polyps
If left untreated, complications can arise and affect nasal function and breathing with long-term effects. Nasal polyps and chronic inflammation can increase susceptibility to sinus infections and cause recurrent allergies. With obstructed nasal function, breathing is also affected, causing reduced sleep quality and fatigue.
Long-Term Effects on Nasal Function and Breathing
Untreated nasal polyps can impact airflow and nasal passages. With reduced airflow from obstructing the nasal passages, chronic congestion and difficulty breathing occur, affecting the person’s quality of life and daily activities.
Increased Susceptibility to Sinus Infections and Recurrent Allergies
Untreated nasal polyps can also worsen the symptoms of sinus infections and allergies. It can block nasal passages and prevent drainage of stagnant mucus. Prolonged inflammation can weaken the body’s immune response and cause complications such as:
- Bacterial sinus infections of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
- Bacterial sinus infections of the sinus bones (osteitis)
- Bacterial sinus infections of the tissues around the eye (orbital cellulitis)
- Asthmatic flare-ups
Implications for Sleep Quality and Fatigue
Sleep quality is also affected when nasal polyps are left untreated. Obstructive sleep apnea and disrupted breathing can occur during sleep, causing snoring and sleep disturbances. Due to difficulty breathing while sleeping, fatigue and daytime sleepiness occur.
The Importance of Timely Diagnosis and Treatment
Due to the possible complications that comes with untreated nasal polyps, early detection and intervention is important. With timely diagnosis, symptoms can be managed and avoid complications. Below are the two treatment options for nasal polyps: medical treatment, such as nasal sprays, and surgical intervention.
Role of Medications and Nasal Sprays in Managing Nasal Polyps
There are different medications to reduce polyp size and relieve symptoms of congestion.
Nasal Steroids
Corticosteroid nasal sprays reduce the size of nasal polyps by suppressing inflammatory cells or cells that respond to asthma and allergies. Examples of nasal steroids are fluticasone, budesonide, and mometasone.
Oral Corticosteroids
If nasal steroids don’t work, your healthcare provider may prescribe oral steroids to reduce poppy size with a nasal spray. However, corticosteroids such as prednison are not for long-term use as they can have negative side effects such as fluid retention that leads to increased blood pressure and elevated pressure in the eyes
Injectable corticosteroids
Injectable corticosteroids can be used if nasal polyps are diagnosed as severe.
Dupilumab
This drug treats nasal polyps with chronic rhinosinusitis. It reduces polyp size and nasal congestion.
Antihistamine and Antibiotics
Your healthcare provider may prescribe other drugs to treat the cause of inflammation, such as antihistamines for allergy management and antibiotics for recurring infections.
Surgical Intervention: When is it Necessary?
An indication for surgical intervention is the persistence of symptoms, even with drug treatment. Most surgical procedures for nasal polyp removal are outpatient procedures.
General or local anesthesia is used for the surgery. General anesthesia makes the patient unconscious for the procedure, so they don’t feel any pain. Patients under local anesthesia may feel pressure with no discomfort.
Polypectomy requires a microdebrider that cuts the polyps into small pieces as it moves back and forth. At the same time, its suction removes the debrided tissue.
Endoscopic sinus surgery is used to remove larger polyps. The endoscope allows the healthcare provider to see inside your nose. Specialized instruments are used to remove the polyps.
After the surgery, soreness can be experienced. One week off from work may be needed for recovery. For post-operative care, nasal sprays, anti-allergy medications, and saline washes will be prescribed to prevent the recurrence of nasal polyps.
Trust Puget Sound Sinus Center for Expert Care
If nasal polyps are left untreated, diagnosis and treatment can seem daunting. But with Puget Sound Sinus Center by your side, we ensure a comfortable experience with holistic patient-centered care.
Puget Sound Sinus Center comprises a team of experienced sinus specialists dedicated to giving patients personalized and compassionate care with state-of-the-art treatments and advanced techniques.
