Nasal polyps

[Lanell]

Nasal polyps are fleshy outgrowths of the mucous membrane of the nose.

Nasal polyps are more likely to develop in people who have allergies or asthma.
Some of the symptoms caused by polyps are nasal obstruction and congestion.
Doctors usually diagnose nasal polyps based on their characteristic appearance.
Corticosteroids can shrink or eliminate polyps, but sometimes polyps must be removed surgically.

Polyps are common teardrop-shaped growths that form around the openings to the sinus cavities. A mature polyp resembles a peeled, seedless grape. Unlike polyps in the colon or bladder, polyps in the nose are not tumors and do not suggest an increased risk of cancer. They are merely a reflection of inflammation, although there may be a family history of the problem.
Polyps may develop during nasal or sinus infections and may disappear after the infection subsides, or they may begin slowly and persist. Nasal polyps also can form if a foreign body is in the nose. Some people who are allergic to aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have a combination of asthma, chronic nasal and sinus congestion, and nasal polyps. It is not clear how the nasal polyps are related to the allergy and the other respiratory tract symptoms. People with nasal polyps can develop sinus infections if the polyps block drainage from the sinuses. Rarely, people develop rhinosporidiosis (an infection in the nose characterized by bleeding polyps), which can cause chronic rhinitis.