Nasal Polyps Video Series

Nasal polyps are growths of abnormal tissue inside your nose. They typically develop due to inflammation from a cold or the flu, allergens and irritants, a sinus infection or drug sensitivity. Nasal polyps are usually harmless. Most people do not even know they have them.

Nasal polyps affect up to 4% of the U.S. population and they often arise in adults 40 years of age or older. Factors that put you at higher risk of developing nasal polyps include allergies, asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, exposure to cigarette smoke, and nasal surgery or injury.

When nasal polyps grow too large or there are too many of them, they can become a problem. Fortunately, several treatment options are available, including topical nasal corticosteroids. In severe cases, they may need to be removed surgically. Each treatment option has its own benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to understand the different options before making a decision.

These short videos examine nasal polyps, including diagnosis, symptoms and treatment options. If there are any videos you’d like to see in our “Learning Pathways: Info in Minutes” series, please contact us at Allergy & Asthma Network.

Nasal Polyps 101:

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Welcome to Allergy & Asthma Network’s Patient Learning Pathways series. Today we’ll be looking at nasal polyps.

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What are nasal polyps?

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Nasal polyps are soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the lining of your nasal passages or sinuses. They can hang down like teardrops or grapes.

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They happen most often in people with asthma, allergies, and those with repeat infections or inflammation in the nasal passages.

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Small nasal polyps may not cause symptoms or discomfort.

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Larger growths or groups of nasal polyps can block nasal passages. This can often lead to discomfort, breathing problems, a lost sense of smell and frequent infections.

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Polyps develop because the mucous membranes lining the nose or sinuses change and become inflamed for a long time or inflammation reoccurs.

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Research and examination have found that some polyps contain extra eosinophils. Eosinophils are white blood cells linked to infections and can lead to allergic reactions.

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Common signs and symptoms of nasal polyps include a runny nose, a persistent “stuffy nose” feeling,

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Headaches, loss of smell or taste or nosebleeds.

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Additional symptoms include snoring and pain in the upper teeth. People report a general sense of fullness in the forehead and face.

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How are nasal polyps diagnosed?

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The doctor will discuss your health history and ask about your symptoms, including how long you’ve had them and how much they impact your daily life.

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The doctor can look inside your nose using a thin, flexible tube with a camera and light called a nasal endoscope. Your doctor can also order a scan to look inside your sinuses.

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Allergy testing may be done to see if allergies are playing a role in sinus or nasal inflammation. Sometimes a blood test is done to check vitamin D levels and blood eosinophils.

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Some people experience complications from nasal polyps.

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People with nasal polyps can develop obstructive sleep apnea, Sleep apnea happens when a person starts and stops breathing during sleep.

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onal complications include asthma flares and sinus infections.

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Be sure to watch our Patient Learning Pathways program on treatments for nasal polyps for more information.

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Join us soon for another Patient Learning Pathways presentation. Allergy & Asthma Network is working every day to end the needless death and suffering due to asthma, allergies and related conditions through outreach, education, advocacy and research.

Nasal Polyps Treatment:

Slide 1

Welcome to Allergy & Asthma Network’s Patient Learning Pathways series. Today we’ll be looking at treatments for nasal polyps.

Slide 2

What are nasal polyps?

Slide 3

Nasal polyps are soft, painless, noncancerous growths on the lining of your nasal passages or sinuses. They can hang down like teardrops or grapes.

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For an overview on nasal polyps, watch our Nasal Polyps 101 Patient Learning Pathways program.

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How are nasal polyps treated?

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Nasal polyps can be persistent for some people and may never completely go away. However, there are treatments that can help a person live a full active life with nasal polyps.

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Steroid sprays, called corticosteroids, can shrink polyps or eliminate them completely. The steroids that we’ll talk about today are not the anabolic steroids used by some athletes – those are different.

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Oral corticosteroids (pills) or injectable corticosteroids may reduce your symptoms, but side effects limit their use. Talk to your doctor about the side effects of oral corticosteroids to be sure these are right for you.

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Injections can deliver a biologic medication to shrink or eliminate the polyps and make it easier to breathe. Biologics work by targeting specific immune cells or proteins to reduce irritation and swelling.

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If other treatments don’t help, sometimes, surgery to remove the polyps provides the best relief; however, more than one surgery may be necessary if the polyps return.

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Can nasal polyps be prevented? Here are some ways you can reduce your chances of developing polyps:

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Manage your allergies and asthma by taking your medications as prescribed.

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Avoid irritation to your nasal passages, such as breathing in cigarette smoke, airborne allergens and chemical fumes. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting.

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Use a saline nasal rinse or spray to clean your nasal passages and sinuses of irritants. There are saline rinse products available at your local pharmacy to make this easier.

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After treatment, can nasal polyps return?

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Polyps often return following treatment. Talk to your doctor about how to best manage your nasal polyps and determine the best treatment for you long term.

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