Have you heard of nasal polyps before? Interestingly enough, there’s a chance you may have them unknowingly. It is reported that 1 in 25 adults have these polyps. Essentially, polyps are soft (non-cancerous) growths that can droop down and hang in the lining of your nose. While not actually painful in nature, they can cause some discomfort for the individual from a breathing standpoint.
This piece will delve further into the polyps situation. It’ll speak about how they are formed in general — as well as the ways in which an individual can rid themselves of these polyps.
How They Form
Essentially, nasal polyps can form based upon chronic inflammation. They annoy the said person in both the nasal passages and in terms of the sinuses. From a general appearance standpoint, these polyps have a tendency to hang down from the inner area of the nose akin to a teardrop.
The smaller ones won’t pose much a problem — and may not even cause symptoms. However, larger areas of polyps left untreated could lead to some uncomfortable situations (which will be addressed below). A routine nasal exam will normally reveal is one is dealing with these polyps. Generally speaking, these won’t develop in a person’s nasal cavity until they’re in their 30’s or 40’s. Also, reports indicate that polyps may be more common by 2-4 times in men compared to women.
The Risk of Untreated Clumps
A few scattered polyps won’t do much to a person’s ability to breathe. However, large clumps of polyps may be a tell-tale sign of some other underlying issues. Some of them may include immune disorders, asthma, a recurring nasal infection, and allergies.
If left untreated, it could hinder the individual’s ability to breathe properly. More rampant infections could arise, and even a loss of smell could theoretically occur.
At-Home Remedies
There are a few simple methods one can do at home in order to help inflammation and thus relieve some of the symptoms. One of those involves adding cayenne pepper to food. Reportedly, the capsaicin in the pepper works in a way to clear up nasal functionality. Not only can pepper be added to food or even tea (with honey), but there are even capsaicin supplements that can be purchased.
Other potential remedies that can be used from home include neti-pots, tea tree oil, chamomile tea, turmeric, eucalyptus, peppermint oil, and any form of steam inhalation. This involves hot showers, baths, humidifiers, and even steam rooms.
Other Forms of Treatment
When visiting the doctor, there’s a chance the medical professional will subscribe a type of steroidal nasal spray. The sinus relief spray is said to help with these symptoms considerably. There are both oral and injectable medications which can be used (via the go-ahead from a doctor).
If the problem is horribly bad, and drugs/antibiotics won’t do the trick, surgery could be an option. However, the medical teams will likely exhaust all other options (medicinally, naturally) before arriving at that conclusion.
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