Asthma & Polyps 

If you attribute your runny nose, stuffiness, headaches, snoring, decreased sense of smell, or difficulty breathing to allergies or a chronic sinus infection, you might be surprised to learn that nasal polyps, benign growths on the lining of your sinuses or nose, may be causing your symptoms. In fact, allergies, sinusitis, asthma, and nasal polyps often go together.

Nasal polyps are soft growths often caused by chronic inflammation of the nasal passages. (The inflammation, in turn, can be caused by allergies or the irritation of sinusitis.) Sometimes, there are just one or two and other times, they can appear in grape-like clusters. Small polyps rarely cause trouble, but large ones may reduce airflow and cause symptoms that can be similar to those of allergies, asthma, and sinusitis. In case you’re getting confused, nasal polyps can be caused by allergies, asthma, and sinusitis or they can be a condition unto themselves that can be confused with allergies, asthma, and sinusitis.

To treat nasal polyps, a little detective work is required to get at the underlying cause. When nasal polyps are the symptom of another condition, such as a chronic sinus infection, a comprehensive treatment plan is required to prevent the polyps from recurring.

Treatment of the polyps themselves may entail medications or combinations of medications such as oral corticosteroids, nasal sprays, antifungals, and antileukotrienes. In cases where polyps are resistant to medications, surgery may be necessary both to remove the polyps and prevent them from coming back.

As both an otolaryngologist (a specialist in the ear, nose, and throat) and facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Yagoda is able to offer her patients a full spectrum of treatment options. She can help you develop a comprehensive treatment plan to relieve your current discomfort, restore free breathing, and prevent recurrence
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