What is Nasal Polyps Surgery

Nasal polyps surgery is the procedure during which nasal polyps (which can occur in the nasal passages or in the sinuses) are removed. Generally, surgery will be recommended if steroid therapy is not successfully or cannot be sustained in the long term, often due to safety concerns of using too much steroids. There are two main types of nasal polyps surgery – nasal polypectomy and functional endoscopic sinus surgery. Persons with poorly managed asthma, as well as those with coronary disease or having irregular bleeding are not eligible for nasal polyps surgery.

Prior to surgery, the patient will be required to undergo tests such as nasal endoscopies, CT scans or X-ray scans. If the patient has any underlying conditions, further tests will be required, as some conditions can complicate the procedure. In addition, the patient is made aware that surgery may not meet expectations, especially with regards to the fact that 75% of patients undergoing surgery will experience re-growth of nasal polyps. Even with the removal of some nasal bone, polyps re-occurrence is still likely. As such, ongoing treatment may be required following surgery. In addition, surgery may not restore the sense of smell, which may be lost completely in patients with very large or very numerous polyps. Furthermore, there are risks involved according to the placement of the polyps. For example, for nasal polyps high up in the sinuses, surgery may damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss. Surgery can also cause scar tissue to form, which can be very uncomfortable in the nasal region.

Nasal Polypectomy is the most common type of nasal polyps surgery and it can be done using just a local aesthetic. This procedure is the one of choice for small nasal polyps that are close to the nostril entrance. The surgeon will hold the nose open with an instrument called a nasal speculum and then cut the polyps out using a special type of forceps. A suction device may be used to extract the polyp.

On the other hand, functional endoscopic sinus surgery is used for polyps that are not easily reached, such as those growing deep in the sinuses. A local or general anaesthetic will be used. In this procedure, an endoscope (a tube with a camera) is used to provide the surgeon better view of the area around the polyps. Then, small cuts in the face will be done and the surgeon cuts out the polyps through these incisions.

What are Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are growths that are found in the tissue or lining of the nasal passages. They are usually harmless or non cancerous but can grow in clusters or to a large size which then affects breathing. When breathing is restricted and the nasal passages become blocked, it is important to seek medical advice and obtain treatment either in the form of a medicated nasal spray or surgery to remove the polyps.

Typical symptoms experienced by someone with polyps may include a blocked or stuffy nose, flu like symptoms such as a runny nose, sinus infections, headaches and chronic snoring. As soon as these warning signs are noticed and the presence of nasal polyps detected treatment can commence.

Nasal polyps tend to grow near the sinuses and within the mucous membranes of the nose. Those who are susceptible to sinus infections are often most likely to develop polyps. They are more common in adults than in children and are classified as chronic when they are present for more than three months.

Treatment is possible and effective and unless large in size, nasal polyps can easily be treated with saline wash and a medicated spray. Keeping the nose free from blockages, cleaning it and rinsing as often as possible can prevent reoccurrence and further growth of nasal polyps.

It is said that nasal polyps generally come about as a result of infected or inflamed sinuses caused by possible allergies, asthma, sleep apnea or a genetic condition. Although treatment is possible it is recommended that once contracted, preventative measures should be taken to maximise effectiveness.

Safe Permanent Nasal Polyps Cure

Neither steroid therapy nor surgery is a permanent cure for nasal polyps. Polyps re-growth occurs in practically everyone using steroids, and occurs in about 75% of the patients undergoing surgery. This is because the underlying cause of the polyps is still there – whatever is causing the nasal passages’ cells to become irritated and inflamed is still there. Hence, after a while, fluid accumulates in these cells again, and soon enough these are pulled down resulting in nasal polyps.

The answer to getting rid of nasal polyps permanently is simple if you have understood the previous two sentences. All we need to do is to make sure that the nasal passages never get irritated and subsequently inflamed. We do this in two steps. First, we remove any possible factors that can irritate the cells – you manage allergies appropriately (e.g. did you know that you should NOT use aspirin if you are asthmatic?), you make sure that the air in your home is not too dry (get a humidifier), you avoid the use of certain colognes/perfumes and cosmetics, you avoid irritants in some common foods, etc…

The next and most important step is to make sure that the body is in an anti-inflammatory state. This will make it virtually impossible for nasal polyps to ever occur, because the cells in the body are not capable of excessive inflammation (which is required for polyps formation). This will not only guarantee that you will never experience polyps again, but will also keep you protected against chronic conditions such as heart disease and cancer. To ensure the body is in an anti-inflammatory state, you simply need to tweak your diet a bit (avoid some foods and limit others), add in one or two supplements (depending on what your diet is lacking), and add in a few minutes of breathing exercises per week.

Doing this will keep you nasal polyps free forever! Now, how do you get rid of nasal polyps in the first place? Thankfully, you can also achieve this safely, naturally, and without resorting to steroids or surgery. All you need to do is to apply some specific herbal extracts and inhale the vapour of herbal mixtures for a few minutes each day. Doing this, you will be able to cure your nasal polyps in as quickly as 4 days, especially if you incorporate some lifestyle and dietary changes. As you will be taking a natural route, you will have no risk of side effects and your polyps will shrink down faster than you ever thought possible!

 

Natural Remedies for Nasal Polyps

You might be wondering why you always have trouble with your breathing, and why your nose passages are clogged up. Those symptoms could be the result of nasal polyps. If that is the case, when you visit the doctor, there will be two remedies recommended; treat the condition with steroids in the form of nasal spray or go for surgery. However, both these treatments are not permanent cures and are associated with a number of dangers and side effects.

The Cause

Nasal polyps can be identified as small or large, teardrop shaped masses of mucus. They are usually fairly movable and result from inflamed tissue in the passages of your nose and upper air ways. They usually start high up in the nose and grow over time, as your irritation increases. They are non-cancerous, and can result from a number of reasons.

If you are born with a deviated septum resulting in a slightly skew nose, or if you had an accident that causes your nose to be deformed, then this can result in these mucus masses growing over time. Another more common reason for them to appear is if you suffer from allergies which inflames and irritates the tissue in the nose. Even poor air quality, like being shut up in a stuffy room for hours, or living in an area where the air has a lot of pollution in it, can trigger the growth of nasal polyps.

The Problem

This type of airway discomfort can be as small as a slight irritation, causing you to feel stuffy or occasionally you feel irritated in your nose. Or these polyps can result in far greater discomfort, causing serious problems and embarrassment. They often affect breathing, causing your nose to get clogged up and your nasal passages to close and resulting in you having to adopt ‘mouth breathing’, which is never a desirable trait in anyone. It can disrupt your sleep and can cause you to be more prone to colds and illnesses as you do not use your nose to filter the air you breathe. It can also cause you to not get enough oxygen intake; affecting your concentration and athletic abilities. All these are serious problems, and really negatively affect your everyday life.

Symptoms

Difficulty breathing and a stuffy nose are the result of nasal polyps, but there are other symptoms that help to distinguish it from just a normal common cold:

You have shortness of breath.
You yawn a lot as your body tries to compensate for lack of oxygen.
Your nose in continually stuffy or clogged.
Snoring.
You have difficulty sleeping.
Your ability to smell is considerably reduced.
Your ability to taste food is reduced.
Your nose often bleeds when you blow it.

Standard Treatment

These mucus growths are treatable to an extent with medical help, but the problem is that medical solutions only provide short term treatment. Steroids need to be used continuously to keep the polyps down and once you stop them, the polyps will grow to a larger size then they initially were. And you will HAVE to stop them eventually, because steroids are associated with a multitude of side effects such as a weakened immune system, stunted growth, vision problems, persistent headaches, and more…

Surgery is the other option. It is expensive and many medical-aids do not pay for this type of alteration as it is deemed as cosmetic; because it alters the structure of the nose. Worse, it is a known fact that surgery is not a permanent cure and most patients (about 70%) will experience a re-growth of the polyps in just weeks after surgery. In addition, there are also many risks involved with surgery. Due to the fact that the surgery is so close to your eyes; there is a risk of damage to your orbits, as well as to the nasal tissue and wall and even brain fluid leaking. Sometimes surgery leaves deep scars in your nose which are uglier than the polyps themselves.

A Natural Holistic Solution

There are a number of natural solutions which provide fast, effective treatment for polyps and many people report complete shrinkage in just a few days of treatment. Natural options are free of side effects and the body does not develop a tolerance. Then, once the polyps have shrunk down, you can implement specific vitamins, minerals and nutrients in your diet to ensure that the polyps never come up again. By including these nutrients, you will be effectively blocking the pathways which can trigger a polyp growth; for example you will keep the body in an anti-inflammatory state, and this will make nasal polyps re-growth impossible. In addition, these dietary changes will prove beneficial for your general health. In fact, many people find that they have more energy and get ill less often. This is because your immune system will be in a much stronger shape, enabling your body to fight off not only nasal polyps growths but other ailments as well.

Nasal Polyps Treatment

Nasal polyps should not be left untreated, as they will keep growing and cause serious problems and embarrassment. Conventional nasal polyps treatment is via two routes – steroid therapy or surgical removal.

In most cases, the first line of treatment is a steroid course, which may involve steroid sprays, steroid tablets or a combination of the two. Steroids can shrink down the polyps in about a week; however the shrinkage will be sustained only as long as the steroids are used. Once the steroids are stopped, the polyps will start growing again, and often to a larger size than they were before. Unfortunately, steroids can only be used for the short term, as they cause side effects such as headaches, nose bleeds, sore throats, vision loss, and increase the risk of glaucoma and cataract formation. In children, steroids can cause stunted growth. With steroid tablets, weight gain often occurs. If you have not started steroid therapy, DON’T! This will save you from getting stuck in a vicious cycle where you’ll have to rely on steroids to keep the polyps down.

The other conventional cure for nasal polyps is surgical removal, and this can be done in two ways. Polypectomy is removal of the polyps by getting at them through the nostrils. It is the most common type of nasal polyps surgery and apart from the polyps, some bone will be removed in an attempt to reduce the rate of re-growth.

The other type of surgery is endoscopic sinus surgery, and this procedure will be used for large polyps or where there are clusters of them. In this procedure, a cut is made in the face, and the polyps are removed by entering through these cuts.

Unfortunately, even surgery is not a permanent cure for nasal polyps, with a staggering 75% of the patients undergoing surgery experiencing a nasal polyps re-growth within a few weeks after the procedure. This is because the underlying cause of the polyps will not have been tackled, and the nasal passage will quickly become inflamed again, resulting in new polyps growth. In light of this, one wonders why anyone would opt for surgery, as it is expensive (nasal polyps surgery costs between $3,000 to over $30,000) and carries many risks such as eye damage and the possibility of causing growth of scar tissue. If the polyps are very high up the nose, there is a possibility of brain fluid leakage during the procedure.

 

Nasal Polyps An Overview

Nasal polyps are abnormal growths that occur inside the nasal passages and the sinuses (canals found behind the cheekbones). Nasal polyps can range from unnoticeable to large lumps, and sometimes they can hang outside the nose. They can be pink but also yellow or grey in colour. They are soft and often described as jelly-like.

Symptoms of nasal polyps:

Nasal polyps tend to be unnoticeable at first, being dismissed as the irritation associated with a common cold. Some early symptoms include itchiness in your throat and your nose becoming stuffy or occasionally clogged up. These symptoms can increase, and are often followed by your nose running a lot, unexplained bleeding and your nostrils becoming clogged completely. In some cases, if these growths are deep enough in your nose they block the airways at the back of your nasal cavity completely. When nasal polyps get big enough, they are easily visible from the outside.

Nasal polyps can cause you to have difficulty breathing. Loss of sleep can result and snoring is a less common symptom, but also occurs if the mucus growths partly obstruct the airways. You will also find you are more tired and have difficulty concentrating. This is attributed to poor intake of air. You will often compensate by breathing through your mouth, which will cause you to be more susceptible to colds and upper airway infections. This is a result from the fact that you cannot filter the air you breathe through your nose.

In short, symptoms include:

Nasal congestion
Anosmia (loss of sense of smell)
Sinusitis
Secondary infection which can lead to headaches
Snoring may occur while sleeping
Facial changes are not common, but are can occur
Nose bleeds
Coryza

Cause of Nasal Polyps:

The exact cause for nasal polyps is unknown; however, they are commonly thought to be caused by:
Asthma
Cystic fibrosis
Exposure to some forms of chromium
There are a few illnesses that can be associated with nasal polyp formation:
Asthma
Chronic rhinosinusitis
Aspirin intolerance
Kartagener’s syndrome
Young’s syndrome
Churg-Strauss syndrome
Nasal Mastocytosis
Cystic fibrosis

 

Early Signs of Nasal Polyps

Early detection of nasal polyps can speed up diagnosis and help treat the condition as soon as possible. Nasal polyps are small nodules found in the interior of the nose or nasal passage and as soon as you notice or feel anything out of the ordinary, particularly if it hinders breathing, then you should seek medical advice.

Some of the signs and symptoms nasal polyps cause can in fact mimic other health complaints and as a result people who have them may be completely unaware of their presence. It is only when the nasal passage is examined properly by a health professional that nasal polyps can be diagnosed and consequently treated.

One of the first signs of nasal polyps is when it becomes difficult to breathe and the nasal passages are constructed causing the person to breathe through the month. This is often mistaken for congestion during a cold but persistent restricted breathing can be a warning of nasal polyps.

Constant stuffiness and a runny nose are also early warning signs of nasal polyps but again thee two symptoms can be mistaken for a common cold. Sinus infections are also a result of the presence of nasal polyps and generally follow on from a cold. Loss or reduced sense of smell is another sign of nasal polyps given that they often block the membranes that help with our sense of smell.

Frequent headaches and chronic snoring are also related to nasal polyps and once detected and conformed by a doctor can be treated. Treatment is either in the form of a nasal spray, which helps keep the polyps small, or in the case where they are large surgery is often the alternative solution.

Do I have Nasal Polyps

Do you suffer from recurrent colds and flu? If yes, you may have nasal polyps.

Nasal Polyps, also known as Sinus Polyps, are non-cancerous growths in the nose or in the sinuses (the canal behiand your cheekbone). The cause symptoms similar to those of cold and flu; however, the symptoms caused by nasal polyps will never get better. You may therefore have a persistently blocked or stuffy nose, and you may experience mucus running down the back of your throat. In addition, large polyps interfere with breathing and this can cause chronic headaches due to lack of oxygen. You may also find yourself yawning a lot, and experience daytime fatigue, even after a proper night’s sleep. You will notice that you don’t smell or taste as good as you used to.

Nasal polyps in the nasal passage can be visible to others and be very embarrassing, especially if you get asked what’s wrong in your nose! They have a teardrop shape, and may be pink, yellowish or grey in colour. They are soft to touch and have a jelly-like texture. Polyps can occur singly, or more often in clusters, a condition called polyposis. Often if you have polyps on one side, you will most likely also get them on the other side.

Nasal polyps should not be left untreated. They increase your risk of nasal infections, which can be fairly serious. In addition, they tend to grow in size, and can cause pain, discomfort and swelling. Very large polyps can alter the shape of your face and be very embarrasing.

The exact cause of nasal polyps is not always known; however, what is known is that ultimately they occur as a result of an irritation and subsequent inflammation of nasal linings. This may be due to a chronic allergy, such asthma or hay fever. They may also be due to frequent nasal and sinus infections, an adverse reaction to aspirin, or living in heavily polluted areas. Injuries to the nose, mainly those which alter the shape of the nose, also increase the risk of getting nasal polyps. All these factors will cause the cells in the nasal linings to get inflamed, causing fluids to build up in them. Eventually, gravity pulls these fluid-laden cells down, resulting in the characteristic tear-drop growth of nasal polyps.

If you suspect you have nasal polyps, you should get them checked by a doctor. A doctor will take a history and carry out a physical examination, sometimes with the use of a nasal speculum. In some cases, a CT scan or X-ray will be needed to confirm the diagnosis. You will then be advised either to start steroid therapy or to undertake surgery. However, both of these approaches are only a short-term solution and are associated with a number of side effects and complications.

Curing Nasal Polyps Permanently

The problem with using medications for nasal polyps is that they keep the polyps down only for as long as the medication is administered. In addition, the body tends to develop a tolerance for drugs, and as a result your polyps growths will eventually become immune to drugs and will grow even larger than their initial size.

On the other hand, when you use natural remedies, you run no such risk. There are a number of herbal preparations which can shrink the polyps in as quickly as days, especially if these are combined with the appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes.

However, the most important part of nasal polyps treatment protocols is making sure that the polyps never crop up again. The secret is adopting certain measures that will make your body virtually incapable at growing polyps. For example, most types of polyps require a degree of inflammation in the body to grow. Your diet has a huge weighing on this – some foods produce inflammatory substances while other produce anti-inflammatory substances. So, by making sure that the intake of some foods are limited, and others are included regularly, you can keep your body in an anti-inflammatory state. Note that this is beneficial to your overall health as well, as inflammation is the cause of many conditions, including joint pain, heart disease and cancer. Some vitamins and minerals are also crucial to keep your body in an anti-polyps state, for example by taking regularly the vitamin that is crucial for the health of the epithelial tissues in the nose and sinuses.

In addition, if you have some conditions, you need to be careful about specific things. For example, if you are asthmatic you should avoid aspirin and medicines containing aspirin, as a proportion of people with asthma will be sensitive to aspirin and it will make their symptoms worse and increase the likelihood of nasal polyps.

Conventional Treatments for Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps can be very embarrassing and problematic. Apart from the fact that they are very unsightly, they can also reduce oxygen intake, create sleeplessness, and give you a persistent cold. They can be painful and often get infected.

You should not leave your nasal polyps untreated…

If these polyps remain untreated or not managed, they become larger and more can form. Large polyps can alter the shape of your face and be very painful.

A doctor will generally tell you that you have two options: steroids or surgery.

Treatment Options

Generally, you will be told to start a steroid spray, or the doctor may inject steroids directly into the polyps. Steroids are effective in the short term, but once treatment is stopped, the polyps will grow again, and often to a larger size than they initially were. You could keep administering steroids, but these drugs can have serious side effects. They stunt growth in children, create eye complications such as loss of sight, cataracts and glaucoma, as well as cause diabetes and irritate you nose causing irregular bleeding. Other steroid side effects include headaches, nose bleeds and a sore throat.

Steroid sprays and drops will usually be prescribed if you have one or a cluster of small nasal polyps. Steroid tablets are effective in shrinking nasal polyps but may have weight gain as a side effect and can only be taken for a few weeks.

Surgical treatments

If the medical treatments have little or no effect, then next step is to seek surgery. The polyps can be removed by cutting them away; there are two types of surgery for nasal polyps.

1. Polypectomy – this is when the surgeon enters the nasal passages through the nostrils and is also the most commonly used surgery. The surgeon will use a local aesthetic and can sometimes remove some bone from the nose in an attempt to stop the reoccurrence of nasal polyps.

2. Endoscopic Sinus Surgery – this surgery will be used if there are clusters or relatively large nasal polyps that could be blocking the sinus passages. This is when the surgeon enters the nostril and nasal passages with a long thin tube with a camera on the end. Small cuts are usually made on the patients’ face; surgical instruments are then inserted in these cuts to remove the nasal polyps to open the sinus passages.

However, surgery is not a permanent cure. In fact, most patients (75%) who undergo surgery will get nasal polyps again, sometimes just a few weeks after surgery. Often, they will grow to larger sizes than they were initially.

There are also many risks involved as the surgery can cause scar tissue to form, creating discomfort and pain in your nose. Another complication is that damage can be caused to your eyes during the procedure or if the growths are very high in your passages there is a risk of brain fluid leaking.

Is There No Hope?

Neither steroids nor surgery are a permanent option, because re-growth is likely to occur. This is because what is causing the polyps to grow is still there. In other words, to keep the polyp from re-growing, you will need to re-program your body.

As always, nature has the answer. There are combinations of herbs which can shrink down your nasal polyps in as little as 4 days, and then you can make some lifestyle and dietary changes that will stop your body from growing the polyps ever again. For example, polyps generally grow as a result of the body being in an inflammatory state because there is too much arachidonic acid in the body. By eating less of certain foods, you will keep your inflammatory molecules to a minimum. In addition, by including some foods and supplements in your diet, you will help your body to produce anti-inflammatory molecules that combat nasal polyps re-growth. You can also avoid those things in your environment which can cause nasal polyps to grow.