Nasalpolypsare soft, noncancerous growths that can develop in your nose or sinuses.
See your healthcare provider to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
This article explains how nasal polyps form and what they feel like.
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They occur more commonly in people with certain medical conditions.
It’s possible to have nasal polyps and not even know it.
With these symptoms, it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis.
Some health conditions have similar symptoms but from different causes.
A polyp is usually soft, for example.
If what you feel is hard, it may be a pimple or anabscessinstead.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing nasal polyps begins with a visit to your healthcare provider.
Based on your symptoms alone, they might suspect you have polyps.
Polyps can sometimes be seen using anotoscopea unit originally designed for looking in the ears.
Endoscopycan often be performed during an office visit after the healthcare provider numbs your nasal passages.
You might notice that you have trouble sleeping, or even develop a condition calledobstructive sleep apnea.
If you sleep with a partner, they might notice your symptoms before you do.
Treatment for nasal polyps initially aims to shrink the size of the polyps or possibly eliminate them altogether.
Sometimes oral corticosteroid medications are also prescribed to help reduce inflammation that is contributing to the development of polyps.
Biologics have now also been approved for the treatment of nasal polyps.
Specialists debate about the ideal timing for when these should be prescribed.
Some patients take them to see if they can avoid sinus surgery.
Others take them after surgery in an effort to prevent polyp regrowth and/or to treat recurrence.
Once people have been safely desensitized under medical supervision, they should take aspirin daily as prescribed.
To maintain desensitization, people need to take aspirin regularly.
Polyps are less likely to grow back if desensitized people stay on aspirin therapy.
Your ENT may offer sinus surgery to treat nasal polyps.
Depending on the location and size of nasal polyps, sinus surgery may be extensive.
Unfortunately, nasal polyps can grow back after they’ve gone away with medication or been removed with surgery.
Many ENT specialists would use biologics only if surgery were not possible, according to a 2023 study.
Prevention
Saline nasal sprays and humidifiers can also keep your nasal passages moist and help prevent inflammation.
Nasal polyps are not uncommon.
They can be treated but often come back.
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