Nasal polyps refer to painless and soft benign growths on the lining of the nasal passage, and they hang downward like grapes. The polyps appear because of chronic inflammations and are usually associated with recurring infections, asthma, drug sensitivity, and some immune disorders.
Knowing the symptoms and warning signs of nasal polyps will help one keep them in check, and they can also prevent the condition from worsening. This is because when the polyps are very large, they can also trigger breathing problems as they block the nasal passage.
Symptoms and warning signs of nasal polyps
Small nasal polyps are not likely to lead to the development of many symptoms, but larger ones are known to be dangerous. In severe cases, they may even culminate in breathing difficulty, loss of the sense of smell, and frequent infections. While these polyps in the nasal passage can happen to anyone, the condition mostly affects adults. Medications are prescribed to shrink the polyps or get rid of them altogether. In some cases, one may even need to undergo surgery to eliminate them, but surgery is not a permanent cure as the polyps may grow again.
Here are some symptoms that are most commonly associated with nasal polyps:
- Persistent stuffiness
- Runny nose
- Absent or reduced sense of smell
- Headaches and facial pain
- Postnasal drip
- Pain in the upper teeth
- Snoring
- Regular nosebleeds
- Pressure over the forehead and face
If the above-mentioned symptoms persist for over 10 days, one must consult a doctor to prevent any further complications and to avoid worsening the condition. The symptoms and warning signs of nasal polyps are very similar to chronic sinusitis, but one can also have chronic sinusitis without polyps. The following are some signs one should not ignore:
- Sudden worsening of the symptoms
- Serious breathing difficulty
- Dual or reduced vision, or difficulty in moving the eyes
- Acute swelling around the eyes
- Consistently worsening headaches, along with high fever
Usually, the doctor can simply look inside the nose and confirm the presence of polyps. One may be given nose drops and sprays to deal with the issue, but if the polyps are too large and sprays or drops do not work, steroids may be prescribed.
What are the possible risk factors for nasal polyps?
If one suffers from a condition that can result in the swelling of the nasal passage and sinuses, like allergies and infections, their risk of getting nasal polyps increases. Some medical conditions associated with nasal polyps are aspirin sensitivity, asthma, cystic fibrosis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, which is a rare disease causing blood vessels to get inflamed, a family history, and a vitamin-D deficiency.
When nasal polyps are not treated effectively with medications and sprays, the doctor may advise surgery after waiting for around 10 weeks. Surgery is effective as the polyps are removed, but they can always grow back. One may continue using a nasal spray with steroids to prevent this from happening.
