Nasal polyps are not cancer -like growth that develop in the nose or in their sinuses. Although nasal polyps are usually painless, they can create unpleasant symptoms such as pressure and abundance in the nose and face, a stuffy nose with thick and discolored drainage, breathing problems and loss of smell.
Everyone can get nasal polyps even though they are more common at middle age. They cannot be healed, but treatments are available to treat the symptoms. We turned to Andrew Lane, MD, Director of John’s Hopkins Sinus Center and the Rhinology and Sinus Operation Department at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine to get further information.
What is the goal of the treatment of nasal polyps?
The goal of the treatment is to help patients cope with and improve the symptoms. This can be done by reducing or eliminating the polyps and then preventing them or preventing them.
Read: nasal polyp 101 >>
What are the different types of treatments for nasal polyps and what advantages do you offer?
Corticosteroids, endoscopic sinus surgery and biologicals are treatments for nasal polyps.
- Corticosteroid Enter systemic steroids (steroids that insert it into your body), such as oral prednisone or injections as well as topical steroids that are applied to the nose, such as sprays or saline. Corticosteroids can reduce nasal polyps and improve the symptoms of the nasal polyps.
- Endoscopic sinus surgery Removes nasal polyps and open the sinuses wide. After the operation, patients can better use nasal rinsing and sprays for preservation, since these medication can now enter the clear sinuses.
- Biologics are the latest option for treatment. They are not chemicals, but medication from living cells in culture. You also have a longer anamnesis as an effective asthma treatment, which makes you a good choice for nasal polyps affected, which also have asthma. Biologics are injected under the skin once or twice a month and circulate through the body and meet every part of the sinuses.
Read: Biologics, Biosimilars and Generics: What is the difference? >>
Which treatments are best suited to minimize the likelihood of recurring?
The best treatment for minimizing recurrence depends on the severity of a patient’s symptoms. But corticosteroidsare the first and main option for many patients because they can reduce the polyps and improve the symptoms.
Systemic steroids ensure quick relief, but the disadvantage is that there are long -term side effects that are common in continuous steroid consumption. These drugs can help patients feel better for a certain period of time, but the symptoms of the nasal polyps can repeat themselves within months, weeks or even days after the drug has been terminated. Sprays and rinsing do not have the same side effects as systemic steroids and can be used indefinitely, but less effective due to the application method. Unless their sinuses have been opened surgically, the medication may not be sufficient in the affected areas to achieve an effect.
In the operation, most patients who undergo the procedure and use nasal rinsing and sprays minimize the likelihood of recurring – which occurs in 40% of patients. About 15% of the patients may need additional procedures to remove polyps that grow back. These procedures are about creating extra large sinus openings in order to maximize the ability of rinsing, in difficulty reaching in which the polyps are repeated.
How do you determine which treatments offer patients?
In most cases, medication are offered firstOperation usually reserved for people who are not facilitated by medical therapy. However, surgery could be the first choice for patients who cannot take systemic corticosteroids. Even in patients with polyps who are the result of an abnormal reaction to mushroom, there are sometimes fungal material that is enclosed in the sinuses that have to be removed surgically so that patients feel better.
If medication and operations do not make relief or if other diseases make patients poor candidates for the operation, biologicals are offered. Biologics are approved for use as add-on treatment for a steroid spray or rinsing, so that patients have to remain on topical therapies when using biologics.
Can people with nasal polyps expect to fully control their polyps with treatment?
Stopping with your treatment routine is the key to prevent existing nasal polyps from developing or preventing new nasal polyps from developing.
In accordance with rinsing and sprays after especially after the operation, it is important to prevent symptoms from being recurred. If patients with sinks or sprays are vigilant, this can help to grow or return polyps if they have been removed or shrunk with systemic steroids.
Even if you believe that you are doing well, the regrowth of polyps can occur before the occurrence of symptoms. You should therefore ensure that you maintain the functioning of the routine that works and are examined regularly, and an otolaryngologist-hoft referred to as a specialist for ear, nose and neck (ent).
This educational resource was created with the support of Glaxosmithkline, Sanofi and Regeneron.
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