Treat Your Nasal Polyp - Here Is How

Are you unable to smell the sweet things anymore? Do you have problems to smell your favorite food? It can be all because of the grayish and small grape shape growth inside your nose known as nasal polyp. The polyps dampen the smell sense alongside it makes breathing tough. As having food is strongly associated with smelling it to get the taste better, nasal polyps can also affect it.

30% of Americans are affected by these growths and this can be also affected or influence rhinosinusitis and similar issues.

Signs of Nasal Polyps

• No smelling senses

• Difficulty to breathe

• Excessive mucus

• Sleep apnea

• Loss of taste

• Facial pain or pressure

• Postnasal drip

• Runny nose

• Sinus infection

How to Detect Nasal Polyps

If the aforementioned symptoms are present in you, you can call your ear nose throat specialist to have a check. It is better to evaluate the symptoms under a specialist’s supervision for the right treatment. You may have to do a CT scan or nasal endoscopy. The symptoms may be present in you for cold allergy, inflammation etc. But if they are consistent, it is better to consult a doctor.

Nasal Polyp Diagnosis

Your ear nose throat specialist is an expert to diagnose and treat ear, nose and throat problems when there are complications. The specialist may use a thin, flexible tube with a camera at one end to diagnose the nasal canal and nose. If the tube called endoscope cannot detect the reasons for nasal polyp, the doctor may perform a CT scan. This process helps to get a detailed image of nose and sinuses and helps to find out the exact location of the nasal polyp.

Nasal Polyp Treatment

The treatment process aims to remove or the polyp or to reduce the size. The first approach is always using the medicines, if that fails to work, there are other options. You could be suggested for a surgery but that is not a good solution as such polyps tend to revert. Here are the medications for nasal polyp –

Nasal Corticosteroids

Your doctor would prescribe you a corticosteroid nasal spray that helps to stop swelling and nasal irritation. This spray gradually shrinks the polyps or remove them.

Nasal corticosteroids contain fluticasone, budesonide, mometasone, triamcinolone, beclomethasone and ciclesonide.

Oral and injectable Corticosteroids

If the nasal corticosteroid does not work well, you may be recommended for an oral corticosteroid. You may use prednisone alone or combined with a nasal spray. Since oral corticosteroids have some side effects on health, they can only be taken for a limited period. Injectable corticosteroids are restricted to use when polyps are severe.

Medications for Polyps and Sinusitis

When you have polyps and sinusitis at the same time, your ear nose throat specialist may suggest you using the dupilumab (Dupixent) for treating the condition. At OKOA, we will help you to get relief from nasal polyps.

**Disclaimer: The information on this page is not intended to be a doctor's advice, nor does it create any form of patient-doctor relationship.