Nasal Polyps

Overview

Nasal polyps are small benign (non-cancerous) growths in the inside lining of the nose. They are generally harmless although if they are large or if there are a lot of them they can block the airways and make it harder to breath. Between 1 and 4 per cent of the population is believed to have nasal polyps at any given time. They occur most often in adults over the age of 40 and in children with cystic fibrosis chronic sinus infections allergic rhinitis and asthma. They can sometimes be seen with investigation by your family doctor but generally they are diagnosed by an ear nose and throat specialist with a special small scope.

Causes

Nasal polyps are formed in the mucous lining of the nose or in the sinuses and are more likely to develop in people who have recurrent and persistent nasal or sinus infections. An allergy to aspirin is among many suspected causes. That having been said most of the time the exact cause for the polyps is never known. In 2005 Mayo Clinic researchers found that in chronic sinus infection patients activated white blood cells cluster in the nasal and sinus mucus and scatter a toxic protein onto the nasal and sinus membrane. The level of this protein in the mucus of chronic sinus infection patients far exceeded that needed to damage the nasal and sinus membranes and make them more susceptible to chronic sinus infection.

Symptoms

Many people with nasal polyps have no symptoms. Others may experience:

  • breathing difficulty
  • chronic sinus infections
  • decreased sense of smell
  • dull pain in the face
  • headaches
  • persistent nasal congestion
  • runny nose
  • snoring

Treatment

Over-the-counter pain relievers are available although acetaminophen should be used rather than aspirin. Your doctor may prescribe steroid medications either pills or a nasal spray to reduce the size of the polyps and make it easier for you to breath through your nose.

Polyps can also be surgically removed. The standard surgical therapy is removal of diseased tissues while preserving as much normal nasal mucosa as possible. However in light of the research mentioned above some doctors have already started to change the way they do surgery for patients with chronic sinus infections focusing now on removing the mucus which is loaded with toxins from the inflammatory cells rather than the tissue during surgery.

Prevention

There is no known prevention.