Nasal Polyps

Nasal Polyps services offered in Hillsborough and Annandale, NJ

Nasal polyps are a common condition that can affect your sense of smell and cause breathing problems. At Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center, Edwin Schulhafer, MD, provides treatment solutions for nasal polyps to give you the relief you need to breathe comfortably. If you need help with nasal polyps, call the office in Hillsborough Township or Annandale, New Jersey, or book an appointment online today.

What are nasal polyps?

Nasal polyps are soft growths of tissue in the lining of your sinuses or nasal passages. These noncancerous bundles hang like grapes or teardrops and sometimes create blockages in your nasal passages. While anyone can develop a nasal polyp, they’re most common in adults.

What causes nasal polyps?

Nasal polyps are caused by elevated eosinophils in your sinuses and nasal passages. Nasal polyps are soft, noncancerous growths in the lining of your sinuses and nasal passages.

Your risk of developing nasal polyps also increases if you have a family history of the condition.

What symptoms do nasal polyps cause?

It’s possible to have nasal polyps and not realize it. However, when they grow large or become numerous, they can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:

Chronic congestion
A runny nose or postnasal drip
Lost sense of smell or taste
Headache or facial pain
Pressure in your forehead and face
Snoring

When nasal polyps are left untreated, they can lead to health complications like sinus infections and asthma flare-ups.

How are nasal polyps diagnosed?

Nasal polyps are often found on diagnostic rhinoscopy examinations. Patients with this problem often have difficulty breathing through their nose and might complain of loss of smell and taste.

At Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center, your provider evaluates these and other symptoms, discusses your medical history, and performs an examination of your nose. In many cases, they can see nasal polyps with a special lighted nasal instrument.

Your provider may recommend additional tests, such as a nasal endoscopy to examine your nose and sinuses, CT scans to determine the size, location, and extent of your polyps, or allergy tests to identify the source of your chronic sinus inflammation.

How are nasal polyps treated?

Traditional treatment of nasal polyps has been surgical. Because nasal polyps tend to reoccur after surgery, new treatments have been developed.

At Allergy, Asthma & Sinus Center, your provider will likely treat nasal polyps with a monoclonal antibody such as Dupixent® or Nucala®, in addition to a referral for surgery.

Some nasal polyps require endoscopic sinus surgery. During this procedure, your provider inserts a small tube with a tiny camera and magnifying glass into your nostril and guides it through your nasal passages to remove the polyp.

If you need relief from symptoms caused by nasal polyps, call Allergy Asthma & Sinus Center or book an appointment online today.