Nasal Polyps Health Article

Definition

A polyp is any overgrowth of tissue from a surface. Polyps come in all shapes—round, droplet, and irregular being the most common.

Description

Nasal polyps tend to occur in people with respiratory allergies. Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) is an irritation of the membranes of the nose by airborne particles or chemicals. These membranes make mucus. When irritated, they can also grow polyps. The nose is not only a passageway for air to reach the lungs; it also provides the connection between the sinuses and the outside world.

Sinuses are lined with mucus membranes, just like the nose. Polyps can easily obstruct the drainage of mucus from the sinuses. When any fluid in the body is trapped so it cannot flow freely, it becomes infected. The result, sinusitis, is a common complication of allergic rhinitis.

Causes and symptoms

Some people who are allergic to aspirin develop both asthma and nasal polyps.

Nasal polyps often plug the nose, usually one side at a time. People with allergic rhinitis are so used to having a stopped up nose they may not notice the difference when a polyp develops. Other polyps may be closer to a sinus opening, so airflow is not obstructed, but mucus becomes trapped in the sinus. In this case, there is a feeling of fullness in the head, no sense of smell, and perhaps a headache. The trapped mucus will eventually get infected, adding pain, fever, and perhaps bloody discharge from the nose.

Diagnosis

A physical examination will identify most polyps. Small polyps located higher up or further back may be hidden from view, but they will be detected with more sophisticated medical instruments. The otorhinolaryngologist is equipped to diagnose nasal polyps. In order to perform the exam, medicine must be applied to decongest the membranes. Cotton balls soaked with one of these agents and left in the nostrils for a few minutes provide adequate shrinkage.

Treatment

Most polyps can be removed by the head and neck surgeon as an office procedure called a nasal polypectomy. Bleeding, the only complication, is usually easy to control. Nose and sinus infections can be treated with antibiotics and decongestants, but if airflow is restricted, the infection will reoccur.

Prognosis

Polyps reappear as long as the allergic irritation continues.