What are the symptoms of nasal polyps?

Written by Li Rui
Otolaryngology
Updated on November 19, 2024
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Nasal polyps currently exhibit a variety of symptoms, which should be considered comprehensively based on individual reactions and the condition itself.

If the polyps are localized and small, they might not show any clinical symptoms. In such cases, a nasopharyngoscope examination can be used for diagnosis.

If there are multiple polyps or if the polyps are located in special positions, they might cause clinical symptoms such as poor nasal ventilation, runny nose, reduced sense of smell, headache, and dizziness. Some patients might experience changes in vision or facial swelling, numbness, and headaches due to accompanying sinusitis or other sinonasal disorders.

Overall, it is advisable to visit an otolaryngology clinic for a nasopharyngoscope examination to make a comprehensive assessment and diagnosis.

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symptoms of malignant nasal polyps

The symptoms caused by the malignant transformation of nasal polyps mainly involve significant destruction and invasion of the surrounding bone, leading to the destruction of the skull base and orbital tissues. Patients may experience eye pain, decreased vision, headaches, and bleeding. For patients with malignant transformation of nasal polyps, diagnosis is primarily made through an electronic nasopharyngoscopy biopsy, taking a portion of the pathological tissue for confirmation. Typically, after confirming malignancy, functional endoscopic sinus surgery should be performed promptly to remove the malignant nasal polyp tissue and extend the resection to the invaded bone. This is usually complemented by radiation therapy or chemotherapy to prevent recurrence of the malignant nasal polyps.

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How is nasal polyps treated?

Nasal polyps are a common clinical condition, prevalent in the nasal and sinus cavities as benign space-occupying lesions. Clinically, these polyps appear as translucent, lychee-like neoplasms. The primary clinical treatment for nasal polyps is surgical, typically performed with an endoscope to remove the polyps, mainly using a powered system. After nasal polyp surgery, the treatment is not completely finished; regular outpatient follow-ups are necessary to infiltrate the nasal and sinus cavities and remove some of the swollen mucosal tissue, thus preventing the recurrence of nasal polyps.

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Nasal polyps are located in the nose.

Nasal polyps are growths located in our nasal area, which is divided into the external nose, nasal cavity, and sinuses. Nasal polyps primarily develop within our nasal cavity. For some polyps that originate from the sinuses, such as those from the ethmoid sinus or the maxillary sinus, they may initially grow within a sinus cavity. As they increase in size, they can protrude into our nasal cavity and even extend outside it, becoming directly visible. Therefore, nasal polyps mainly grow in our nasal cavity or sinus cavities. They do not develop on our external nose or in our nasopharyngeal region. The most common locations for them are in the nasal cavity and sinus cavities.

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The difference between nasal polyps and adenoids

There are fundamental differences between nasal polyps and adenoids. Nasal polyps are polypoid tissue proliferations located in the nasal cavity and sinus cavities, resembling a peeled lychee. In contrast, adenoids are located in the nasopharynx and are a normal anatomical structure of the human body, whereas nasal polyps are a new benign tumor-like growth. Furthermore, nasal polyps require surgical removal, primarily through functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Adenoids generally do not require surgical treatment unless they are enlarged, causing issues such as snoring and sleep apnea, in which case surgery might be considered.

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Is minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps painful?

We often talk about the minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps, which is the most common procedure of endoscopic nasal polyp removal that we use today. This type of surgery does not only remove the nasal polyps, but also the root of the polyps and even opens up the sinuses. This is crucial for eliminating the cause of the nasal polyps and is very important for preventing their recurrence. Although it is a minimally invasive surgery, it can still be quite painful. After the surgery, both nostrils need to be packed. If the packing material is absorbable, such as Nasopore, the discomfort might be less because after the surgery, one just needs to wait for the packing to gradually dissolve into a mucus-like substance and get expelled. However, if expandable sponges or even gauze strips are used, these materials need to be removed after several days. Removing these materials can cause significant pain for the patient. During the period of packing, the patient can also experience a lot of discomforts such as headaches, dry throat, discomfort in the eyes, tearing, and even some might feel foggy in their ears and uncomfortable while eating and drinking, along with other painful symptoms. Additionally, after the minimally invasive surgery for nasal polyps, regular follow-up cleanings are necessary. The purpose of these follow-up cleanings is to timely clear out any blood clots or secretions from the nasal cavity and sinuses, aiding the recovery of the mucous membranes in these areas and also preventing the short-term recurrence of the nasal polyps, which is a very important part of ensuring the effectiveness of the surgery. Thus, these procedures can induce a certain amount of fear and pain for the patients, but before performing these surgeries and examinations, doctors generally engage in thorough discussions and provide comfort to the patients, advising them not to be too nervous. The actual discomfort is temporary and will pass after enduring it for just a few days post-surgery.