There are a lot of different things that can go wrong with breathing. The process of bringing in air through the nose to the lungs and then expeling it again is more complicated than many people believe. There are many different conditions which can cause trouble with the process of breathing easily. A blockage at any location can be dangerous. 

Nasal polyposis is the condition of developing polyps in the nasal passages. On their own, they don’t tend to be too dangerous. They are fleshy, but don’t cause a person a lot of pain. However, if too many grow together, or the polyps get too big, then suddenly there’s a big problem in the nasal passages! 

Causes of Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are caused by inflammation. Now, the issue with nasal polyps is that why irritation causes them for some people, but not for others, that isn’t known. Nasal polyps come from the mucous membrane. The swelling occurs there within a person’s nose or sinus cavities. In some cases, people can have immune response problems within their nose that may contribute to nasal polyps. 

There are several risk factors that can contribute to a case of nasal polyposis. Asthma is a very common risk factor as it can cause a lot of inflammation. Allergies are another common irritant that can cause problems. Some people have issues with medications that cause irritation. Some conditions can be a problem. Cystic fibrosis and Churg-Strauss syndrome are well known to cause polyps to a lot of people. 

Symptoms of Nasal Polyps

People may not realize that they are suffering from nasal polyposis. Actual polyps themselves are without pain. But once they start to grow more plentiful, then symptoms can become a factor. Some of the symptoms of nasal polyps include: 

• Suffering from a consistent runny nose or stuffy nose.
• Suffering from a persistent post nasal drip.
• Finding that the sense of smell becomes weaker or absent entirely.
• Losing the sense of taste completely.
• Feeling odd facial pain or suffering from unexpected headaches.
• Feeling pain in the upper teeth.
• Starting to snore when you might not otherwise.
• Feeling excessive pressure in the face and forehead area.
• Suffering from unexpected nosebleeds.

Treating Nasal Polyps

If you think you are suffering from nasal polyps, then you need to see your doctor. From there, they can work on a treatment plan. In some cases, it will begin with medication. Most medications can often reduce the size of nasal polyps or in some cases convince them to go away completely. These medications tend to reduce inflammation. In some cases they can treat the underlying conditions like asthma to reduce the irritation in the nasal passages. 

Surgery is the secondary treatment option. The surgeon will insert a small tube into their nose to try and see the polyps. From there, they can use very tiny instruments to help remove the polyps and allow nasal passages to become clear once again.