Nasal polyps

Nasal polyps are painless soft growths inside your nose. They're not usually serious, but they can keep growing and block your nose if not treated.

Symptoms of nasal polyps include:

• a blocked nose
• a runny nose
• a feeling that mucus is slowly dripping down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)
• a reduced sense of smell or taste
• snoring

Nasal polyps can sometimes feel like a cold. But colds tend to clear up within a few days, whereas nasal polyps will not get better unless they're treated.

If your polyps block your sinuses (the air pockets around your nose) you may also have symptoms of sinusitis.

See a GP if:

A GP should be able to tell if you have nasal polyps by looking inside your nose.

If you have nasal polyps, you'll usually be given steroid nose drops or a spray to shrink the polyps.

Sometimes, you may be given steroid tablets, usually for up to 2 weeks, to help relieve symptoms.

Make sure you follow the advice of the GP about how to use your medicine and how long to take it for.

Surgery to remove polyps

If there's no sign of improvement after about 12 weeks, the GP may suggest surgery to remove your polyps.

Most people who have surgery see an improvement, but it's common for polyps to grow back, usually within a few years.

Important

You may need to keep using a steroid nasal spray after surgery to stop the polyps returning quickly.

After seeing a GP for nasal polyps, a pharmacist can recommend:

• steroid nasal sprays that do not need a GP prescription
• salt water washes (called a saline rinse or nasal douche) to help unblock your nose

It's not clear what causes nasal polyps.

Certain things can increase your risk of getting nasal polyps, like:

• asthma
• an intolerance or sensitivity to aspirin

Nasal polyps are rare in children.