A constantly blocked nose that no spray can clear, a fading sense of smell, and sinus infections that keep returning are the classic signs of nasal polyps. These soft, painless growths are not cancer — but they are stubborn, and they come back if the cause is ignored. When medicines are not enough, endoscopic sinus surgery in Ahmedabad can remove them and restore clear breathing. Here, Dr. Neeraj Suri explains what polyps are, why they form, and every treatment option from sprays to surgery.
What Are Nasal Polyps?
Nasal polyps are soft, grape-like swellings of the sinus lining that hang into the nasal passages. They grow from long-standing inflammation; they are painless, and they are not contagious. Small polyps may go unnoticed; larger ones block airflow, dull the sense of smell and taste, and trap mucus so that infections keep returning.
Symptoms to Watch For
- Persistent blockage, often on both sides, that decongestants don’t fix
- Loss or reduction of smell and taste — the most telling sign
- Runny nose and mucus dripping down the throat
- Facial pressure, snoring and mouth-breathing
- Recurrent sinus infections
- Sometimes a visible pale swelling inside the nostril
What Causes Nasal Polyps?
Polyps are driven by ongoing inflammation rather than a single germ. The usual culprits are untreated nasal allergy, chronic sinusitis, asthma (especially the aspirin-sensitive type) and fungal sinusitis. They are more common in adults over 40. In children, polyps are unusual and should always be investigated, as they can point to conditions such as cystic fibrosis.
Treatment: From Sprays to Endoscopic Nose Surgery in Ahmedabad
Treatment is stepwise, starting with the least invasive option:
- Steroid nasal spray, used daily and long-term, shrinks small polyps and helps prevent regrowth.
- A short course of oral steroids can rapidly shrink large polyps, often before surgery.
- Treating the allergy and asthma that drive the inflammation is essential.
- Endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) removes polyps and opens the blocked sinuses through the nostrils when medication fails — usually a day-care or one-night procedure.
- Biologic injections are a newer option for severe, recurrent polyps with asthma, in selected patients.
Why Polyps Come Back — and How to Stop Them
Surgery removes the polyps but not the body’s tendency to grow them. Patients who stop their maintenance spray, leave allergy untreated or skip follow-up often see polyps return within a year or two. A long-term steroid spray, daily saline rinses, good allergy control and periodic endoscopic checks keep most people polyp-free for years.
When to See a Specialist for Endoscopic Nose Surgery
If your nose has been blocked for weeks, your sense of smell is fading, or sinus infections keep coming back, don’t keep reaching for another decongestant. A nasal endoscopy confirms polyps in minutes, and a CT scan maps them before any surgery. Because allergy so often drives polyps, Dr. Neeraj Suri treats both together — which is what makes Endoscopic Nose Surgery in Ahmedabad at Evara Hospital give lasting relief rather than a temporary fix.
Who Is Most at Risk of Nasal Polyps?
Polyps do not appear at random. Certain groups are far more prone to them, and recognising this helps with both diagnosis and long-term prevention. Adults over 40 are the most commonly affected, and the risk rises sharply in people with asthma, long-standing nasal allergy, or a sensitivity to aspirin and similar painkillers. Chronic sinus infection and fungal sinusitis also drive polyp formation.
- People with asthma — especially aspirin-sensitive asthma
- Long-standing untreated nasal allergy
- Recurrent or chronic sinusitis
- Fungal sinusitis
- A family history of polyps or sinus disease
In children, nasal polyps are unusual and should never be dismissed, because they can be a sign of underlying conditions such as cystic fibrosis that need specific investigation.
Polyps, a Cold, or Sinusitis — How to Tell
Because the symptoms overlap, polyps are often mistaken for a lingering cold or ‘just sinus’. The distinguishing clue is duration and the sense of smell. A cold clears within a week or two and rarely destroys your smell for long. Sinusitis brings facial pain and pressure that come and go with infections. Nasal polyps, by contrast, cause steady, worsening blockage over months and a persistent, sometimes complete, loss of smell that does not recover between infections. If you cannot smell your food or perfume for weeks on end, polyps are high on the list of causes and deserve a proper look.
What Happens If Polyps Are Left Untreated?
Ignoring polyps rarely ends well. Over time they grow larger, block the airway more completely, and trap mucus that fuels repeated sinus infections. The loss of smell can become permanent, and severe cases can gradually distort the shape of the nose or affect the area around the eyes. Untreated polyps also worsen asthma control. None of this is inevitable — early treatment keeps polyps small and symptoms manageable — but it is why ‘waiting and hoping’ is the wrong strategy.
What the Diagnosis Involves
Diagnosing polyps accurately guides the whole treatment. It begins with a nasal endoscopy in the clinic, which shows the polyps directly and reveals how far into the nasal passages they extend. If surgery is being considered, a CT scan of the sinuses is essential — it maps exactly which sinuses are affected and how, allowing the surgeon to plan a safe, complete operation. Allergy testing is frequently added, because identifying and treating the allergic driver is central to stopping the polyps from returning after treatment. Together, these steps turn guesswork into a precise, personalised plan.
Living With Nasal Polyps Day to Day
Even with treatment, managing polyps is often a long-term commitment rather than a one-off cure, and a few daily habits make a real difference:
- Use your prescribed steroid nasal spray every day, not just when symptoms flare
- Rinse the nose with saline daily to clear mucus and reduce inflammation
- Keep any underlying allergy and asthma well controlled
- Avoid known triggers such as smoke, heavy dust and, for some, aspirin-type painkillers
- Attend regular check-ups so returning polyps are caught early and treated small
With this routine, most people keep their symptoms — and their polyps — well under control, preserving both clear breathing and their sense of smell for years at a time.
Polyps and Asthma: A Two-Way Link
Nasal polyps and asthma frequently occur together, and each can worsen the other. The same inflammation that produces polyps in the nose often affects the airways of the chest, so uncontrolled polyps can make asthma harder to manage, while good polyp control often improves breathing overall. If you have both, treating them as one connected condition — rather than two separate problems — gives the best result, which is another reason an experienced ENT’s involvement matters.
Don’t Let Polyps Steal Your Sense of Smell
The slow loss of smell that polyps cause is often what patients regret most, because it creeps up gradually and is easy to ignore until food and everyday scents fade away entirely. The encouraging news is that, caught early and treated properly, that sense can frequently be restored. Whether the answer is a daily maintenance spray, a short course of tablets, or endoscopic surgery, the goal is the same: clear breathing, controlled inflammation, and a nose that works — and stays working with simple ongoing care. The worst approach is to wait, because larger, long-standing polyps are harder to treat and more likely to leave a permanent loss of smell. If your nose has been blocked for weeks and your sense of smell is fading, treat it as a signal worth acting on now rather than later.
Get Your Sense of Smell Back — Book Today
Living with a permanently blocked nose and a dulled sense of smell isn’t something you have to accept. Book an assessment with Dr. Neeraj Suri at Evara Hospital to find out whether medication or endoscopic surgery is right for you. Call +91 95122 68282 or book online — evening and Sunday OPDs available across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.
Author & Medical Review
Dr. Neeraj Suri, MS (ENT) — Ex-Fellow, Stanford University & House Ear Institute, Los Angeles; Ex-Associate Professor, GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar. Medically reviewed by Dr. Neeraj Suri.
FAQs
Q. Are nasal polyps cancerous?
A. No, polyps are benign. However, a one-sided nasal mass, especially with bleeding, is different and needs prompt assessment.
Q. Will my sense of smell return after treatment?
A. Often yes — particularly after surgery — though recovery depends on how long the polyps were blocking the smell area.
Q. Can polyps be treated without surgery?
A. Small polyps can shrink with steroid sprays or tablets; larger ones usually need endoscopic removal followed by maintenance treatment.