What Are Nasal Polyps?
You may have heard the term “nasal polyp” thrown around before.
Nasal polyps are noncancerous growths on the lining of your nasal passages or sinus cavities. They are soft and droop down like teardrops or grapes. While they are tumors, they aren’t painful and they often don’t feel like anything at all.
Many times, the symptoms of nasal polyps are confused with a sinus infection. Some patients don’t even realize they have them until they’re checked out by an ENT doctor.
While these polyps are safe, they can grow larger or form in groups that block your nasal passages and cause breathing issues. In addition to affecting your breathing, nasal polyps can diminish or even eliminate your sense of smell and also have been shown to increase nasal infections.
Nasal polys can cause chronic information and have been related to asthma, allergies, and certain immune disorders.
What Causes Nasal Polyps?
Nasal polyps don’t have a definite cause, as some people can have long-term inflammation and not develop these tumors. Some scientists believe that people with polyps have different immune system responses and different chemical markers in their mucous membranes than do those who don’t develop polyps.
Do You Have to Remove Nasal Polyps?
Common signs and symptoms of chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps include:
- Runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Decreased or absent sense of smell
- Loss of sense of taste
- Chronic nasal congestion
- Facial pain or headache
- Pain in your upper teeth
- A sense of pressure over your forehead and face
- Snoring
- Frequent nosebleeds
If any of these symptoms last more than 10 days straight, you may need to get your nasal polyps removed.
Sinus surgery is required to remove these growths, and it’s done using either general or local anesthesia. This is not a painful surgery, but you may feel your symptoms worsen during the recovery process due to the swelling and blood clotting in your nose.
If you need nasal surgery, look no further than the ENT specialists of Westside Head & Neck.