If your seasonal allergies have led to never ending nasal symptoms, you could have nasal polyps. These non-cancerous, grape-shaped growths form on the inside of your nasal cavity and often make it difficult for the mucus to drain.
Allergies and Nasal Polyps
Some people believe that having allergies can increase the risk of experiencing nasal polyps. This is because allergies can cause swelling in the nose lining, which can lead to irritation—potentially resulting in these bothersome nasal growths. But while some studies reinforce a strong link between nose polyps and allergies, others feel that the connection is weak.
Are You at Risk?
In addition to allergies, other possible causes of nasal polyps include having asthma or having an infection. In both cases, the relationship seems to stem from the chronic inflammation that can result in the formation of polyps.
Regardless to how nasal polyps occur, it seems that males are more susceptible to developing them than females, and people 40 years or older seem to be at an increased risk to experience the effect, although younger people can also be affected.
Symptoms include:
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Thick nasal drainage
- Sinus infections (caused by the polyps blocking the mucus and preventing it from draining, which can lead to infection)
- Wheezing
- Increased sensitivity to chemicals and fumes
- Reduced sense of smell and taste
- Mouth breathing
- Snoring
- Bad breath
- Sore throat
What to Do About Nasal Polyps
If you suspect you could have nasal polyps, see your doctor for a formal diagnosis. Often, doctors use a flexible tube to examine the interior of the nasal and sinus passages to look for polyps and other problems.
How nasal polyps are treated can depend on their location and size. If the symptoms are manageable, you may not need to address them at all. But if they do warrant treatment, it's likely that you'll need to use a nasal corticosteroid spray over the long term. This can help shrink the polyps and also keep them from growing again. In some cases, a short course of oral steroids can also be helpful, as well as an antibiotic if you have signs of an infection. In the event that your polyps are completely blocking your nasal passages, you could need to have them removed surgically.
Preventing Nasal Polyps
While you can't always prevent polyps from developing, it's always a good idea to keep nasal swelling to a minimum by controlling your allergies with antihistamines and other forms of allergy medications.
Sources:
Levine, Howard. "Nasal Polyps." American Rhinologic Society. American-Rhinologic.org, n.d. Web. 20 June 2011.
"Nasal Polyps." Massachusetts General Hospital. Massgeneral.org, 2011. Web. 20 June 2011.
"Rhinosinusitis: What is Chronic Rhinosinusitis?" American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. AAAAI, n.d. Web. 20 June 2011.
