Nasal polyps develop as fleshy swellings, which grow along the nose’s lining. These are non-cancerous growths, and may be variable in size. You can see them as a pink or yellowish-brown outgrowths, which may look like teardrops. With time, they take the shape of a grape on a stem.
Polyps can develop in one or both the nostrils. They grow individually, but can even surface in clusters. Usually, you will experience the symptoms and warning signs when a singular polyp is unusually large or starts growing in clusters. Some of the common symptoms of nasal polyps include:
- Runny nose
- A choked nose that may lead to breathing difficulties
- Breathing from the mouth
- Reduced functioning of taste and smell receptors; if the problem is severe, you may temporarily lose complete sense of taste or smell
- Snoring
- Mucus traveling from the nose, all the way to the throat
- Sinusitis, in which the polyp develops either inside or around the sinuses. It can lead to mucus and fluid build-up in the sinuses. Sinusitis can be followed by a few other symptoms, such as facial pain; toothache; pain in the jaw, especially while eating; feeling of tenderness around the infected area; headache, which aggravates when you shake or rotate your head; and high fever.
If a single polyp is large or if there are multiple smaller clusters of polyps, then they can cause more severe symptoms, some of which are:
- Sleep apnea
When the polyp is in a group or is large in size, it temporarily restricts your breathing. It is worse when you are asleep. This is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Many people with nasal polyps might be unaware of this symptom, at least initially. Because there will be a persistent interruption in your sleep, you might feel sleepy and tired the next day.
- Double vision
Another serious symptom of nasal polyps is double vision. Because of the polyp, there is a disturbance in the usual functioning of the muscles and nerves that control the eyes. As a result, the eyes fail to work together. So, when you are looking somewhere, you might end up seeing two images of the same thing.
- Getting help
A runny and blocked nose is a primary warning sign of nasal polyps. However, some symptoms of nasal polyps overlap with those of other conditions, such as the common cold. The common cold, however, goes away in a couple of weeks. Polyps, on the other hand, may require medical treatment. So, it is important to visit a doctor as soon as you notice a symptom.
