Management Of Nasal Polyps Article

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Management of Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are abnormal lesions that have developed in any of the four pairs of paranasal sinuses.

Author: Jillian Phillips

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Of unknown etiology, nasal polyps are abnormal lesions that have developed in any of the four pairs of paranasal sinuses. These usually result from sinus and nasal mucous membranes that have undergone serious chronic inflammation. Polyps are also believed to be the by-products of any disease process occurring within the nasal passages and sinuses.

Possible Causes of Nasal Polyps
Respiratory diseases such as bacterial or fungal chronic sinusitis, allergic and non-allergic rhinitis, aspirin allergy, and asthma can trigger the formation of nasal polyps. In children, cystic fibrosis, CVID or Common Variable Immunodeficiency, Churg-Strauss Syndrome and primary ciliary dyskinesia can lead to inflammation of the mucosal lining of the sinuses, thereby producing polyps.

Small nasal polyps are often asymptomatic, meaning they manifest no symptom. These are typically accidentally identified during routine check-ups. Polyps that have developed in areas where they are expected to form, such as the middle meatus, on the other hand, may produce symptoms that often end up with recurrent or chronic sinusitis.

Possible Symptoms of Nasal Polyps
If you are wondering whether or not you have nasal polyps, symptoms such as nasal airway obstruction, sinus pressure, difficulty of breathing, dull headaches, rhinorrhea, postnasal drip, obstructive sleep symptoms, snoring, and chronic mouth breathing should be the first clues that you should look for. If you are suffering from chronic sinusitis, you should also be very sensitive about anosmia or hyposmia as these are indicative of nasal polyps.

Because of the characteristics of polyps and their lack of definite cause, many patients with nasal polyps are not able to manage these formations until it's too late. Many wait for severe symptoms and serious damage in the affected areas before taking action. Management of nasal polyps is hinged on the causative agent. Since it is often unclear what triggers this inflammatory disorder, nonspecific treatments are often administered.

Treatment Options
Oral corticosteroids, a type of nonspecific anti-inflammatory agent, are still the treatment of choice for nasal polyps. These help substantially in shrinking the inflammatory symptoms, thereby improving the condition of the patient. Effects are short-lasting, though. If your doctor prescribed this treatment, expect to undergo only 3 oral corticosteroid treatments over a period of one year. This is not recommended for long-term use because of the adverse side effects it may have on your body. In addition, expect your polyps to regrow within a few weeks or months after receiving treatment.

Intranasal corticosteroid sprays or topical steroids, meanwhile, are used to retard any polyp regrowth. Unlike systemic or oral corticosteroids, the topical variants produce fewer adverse effects. You can, therefore, use this for both short-term and long-term treatment.

If you have existing allergic rhinitis, immunotherapy may be prescribed to resolve your nasal polyps. Allergy shots may also be helpful to prevent polyps from growing back. If you are a patient of chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps, simple procedures such as nasal irrigation may be of much help in relieving the uncomfortable symptoms.

Surgical intervention is needed if your condition does not improve with medical treatments. This may also be recommended if you have multiple benign nasal polyposis. In which case, you will undergo a procedure called polypectomy.

Other surgical options include EES or Endoscopic Sinus Surgery which is said to be a better technique than polypectomy. This has lower recurrence rate which ensures that you have lesser chances of developing polyps in the future.

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Management of Nasal Polyps