Impede Nasal Polyp Development
Reduce Recurrence After Surgery & Promote Healing
Ear Nose & Throat Doctor
Clinical study and literature review of nasal irrigation. Tomooka LT, Murphy C, Davidson TM. Laryngoscope. 2001 Oct;111(10):1867-9.
Nasal Polyps Treatment
Nasal Polyps are often confused with a disease. The nasal polyp is the side-effect of an inflammatory process initiated by chemical mediators often involved in the diseases of asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic allergic rhinitis and chronic sinusitis. Nose polyps develop in the nose. Sinus polyps develop in the sinus passages. Both the sinus polyp and nose polyp may develop individually or grow in clusters characterized by a soft gelatinous pearlescent texture.
How Do Nasal Polyps Develop
Chronic inflammation in the nose or sinus passages creates an environment to allow gravity to promote the development of nasal polyps. Blood vessels lining the nose and sinus passages permeability increases; allowing the accumulation of water into the cells supporting these tissues. Over time, the structural integrity of the tissues sustaining these water saturated cells becomes compromised. The weight of the cells under the influence of gravity collapses the lining of the nose and sinus passages to form nasal polyps. The chronic inflammation promoting the development of the polyps are the result of chronic bacterial or viral infections.
In addition, a hyper-reactive immune response to pollens molds or fungal spores creates inflammatory mediators that contribute to the development of nose or sinus polyps.
Please see our page The Allergic Process for a more detailed explanation and illustration of the inflammatory process.
Nasal Polyps Treatment Options
Management in the form of good nasal hygiene will play a critical role in helping to reduce the likelihood of developing large nose or sinus polyps that may lead to obstructive sleep apnea, acute sinusitis or chronic sinusitis.
Options for nasal polyp surgical removal include polypectomy or endoscopic sinus surgery. Nasal polyps surgery is often the last course of action if polyps do not respond to oral and/or nasal corticosteroids to help reduce the inflammation.
Antihistamines may be helpful in binding and reducing histamine exposure to mast cells on nasal and sinus passage linings. Mast cells are frontline immune system cells which release a cocktail of inflammatory chemicals that recruit a wide variety of inflammatory cells that exacerbate The Allergic Process inflammatory response.
Antihistamines like decongestants may contribute to helping relieve congestion; however, both antihistamines and decongestants will not eliminate polyps. Severe sinus infections are often treated with antibiotics to help reduce the production of inflammatory agents produced by infection fighting cells that are contributing to irritation of the nasal mucosa.
Intervention utilizing pulsatile irrigation to cleanse the sinus passage linings of inflammatory mediators is one of your best defenses to reduce the chances of developing nasal polyps. Pulsatile irrigation may help control the growth of existing polyps by reducing the inflammatory mediators contributing to their development. Pulsatile irrigation utilizes a preservative-free buffered saline solution that may help the body reduce or eliminate existing polyps.
After Nasal polyps surgery, routine cleansing of the nose and lower sinus passages may help decrease the chances for development of additional polyps.
We invite you to purchase the SinuPulse Elite System or learn more about irrigating your nose on our page about Pulsatile Irrigation.
