Feeling like you’ve had a cold for weeks or months on end can be physically and mentally draining.
At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, our ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists want to help you figure out what is causing these symptoms and, more importantly, help you fix them.
A common cause of congestion, difficulty breathing and loss of smell is nasal polyps.
These soft, painless growths in the nasal passages, while noncancerous, can lead to some annoying and persistent symptoms that can impact your daily life.
Our sinus care experts (rhinologists) specialize in treating nagging nasal problems and getting you back to enjoying the things you love.
Not only is the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery ranked as one of the best ear, nose and throat (ENT) programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report, but we’re also a regional and national referral center for sinus care, including nasal polyps.
What are nasal polyps?
A nasal polyp is a lump of tissue that grows in the lining of the nasal passages or sinuses. They hang down, often in the shape of teardrops or grapes.
They range in size from small (causing few, if any, symptoms) to large (potentially blocking the nasal passage). They also tend to grow in groups, which can also lead to blockages.
Typically, nasal polyps affect only adults, and the polyps occur on both the left and right passages at the same time. Growths only on one side should be examined by your doctor to rule out a sinus tumor.
Causes of nasal polyps
Nasal polyps happen because of chronic irritation and swelling of the nasal passages or sinuses. That’s why they’re often associated with recurring sinus infections, also known as rhinosinusitis.
Other conditions that cause inflammation leading to nasal polyps include:
- Asthma
- Allergies, especially to fungi
- Drug sensitivities
- Immune disorders
- Other infections
- Cystic fibrosis
- Vitamin D deficiency
Nasal polyp symptoms
If your nasal polyps are small enough, you might not feel any symptoms. However, if they grow larger or you have a group of them that grow together, you might begin to have issues.
Common symptoms of larger polyps are:
- Runny nose
- Constant congestion
- Loss of smell or taste
- Pain in face or mouth
- Headaches
- Snoring
- Nosebleeds
How do we diagnose nasal polyps?
When your sinus symptoms become problematic, you’ll want to see an otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose and throat specialist.
A health history, including past sinus problems, will be taken and we’ll perform an examination of the nose. Sometimes the polyps can be seen simply with a lighted instrument.
If more tests are needed, we’ll use one of the following tools to help us make a diagnosis:
- Nasal endoscopy – During this procedure, we’ll place a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera on it in the nose to explore what might be happening.
- Advanced imaging – CT scans and MRIs can also discover nasal polyps.
- Biopsy – Sometimes we’ll take a small piece of tissue to learn more about the growth in your nose.
Treatment options for nasal polyps
If we determine that you do have nasal polyps, there are a variety of treatment options available, depending on the location of the growth and the severity of symptoms.
Typically, our first course of action will be to see if medications shrink the polyp. We can do this through:
- Nasal corticosteroids, such as Flonase Allergy Relief or Nasonex
- Oral or injectable corticosteroids
- Injections of a medicine called dupilumab near the polyp site
- Medications that treat your sinus condition and chronic inflammation
If medications don’t shrink or get rid of the polyps, you may need surgery to remove them or correct the condition causing the inflammation in the nose.
During the surgery, which is done using an endoscope, we’ll insert a small flexible tube with a tiny camera into your nose to guide us to your sinus cavities. We’ll then remove the polyps.
An overnight stay in the hospital is typically not necessary with this procedure.
To prevent polyps from recurring in the future, we’ll work with you to manage your sinus conditions and the symptoms that lead to inflammation and irritation in your nose.