Polyps – prevention and treatment

treatment of polyps

Small polyps often do not cause any symptoms and, therefore, usually remain undetected and untreated. Larger polyps cause problems and, therefore, need to be treated. Treatment can be medication or surgery.

Medication

Cortisone is often administered in the form of nasal sprays or systemically, i.e. internally. In smaller polyps, this can lead to a reduction in growth, but complete healing is rare. In some cases, antihistamines (antiallergic drugs) can also reduce the symptoms. If the cause of the nasal polyps is an allergy, it is essential to first determine this precisely with an allergy test (prick test) and then treat it as well to prevent polyps from forming again.

Surgical treatment

In most cases, an operation is the treatment of choice; for example, if breathing is severely restricted, the sinuses are inflamed, or a tumour is suspected in the case of unilateral polyps. The operation aims to remove the growths and, under certain circumstances, widen the narrowed entrances to the paranasal sinuses. To do this, the surgeon first inserts a metal loop into the nose under local anaesthesia, wraps it around the polypoid growths and pulls it together until the polyp is severed.

Alternatively, the polyp can also be removed with the help of a laser. The advantages of laser removal are less bleeding, tissue protection and faster healing. However, if a tumour is suspected, conventional surgical removal may be appropriate, as the tumour can be removed and then examined by a pathologist for malignant cells.

If the polyps are located in the sinuses or their connecting ducts, an endoscopic cleansing of the sinuses is also performed as part of a polyp removal. The paranasal sinuses are widened, making breathing more accessible, and the sinuses are better ventilated. This operation is performed under general anaesthesia.

alternative medical treatment

In some cases, treatment with acupuncture (such as laser acupuncture) can shrink the polyps and reduce the symptoms. For some affected, homoeopathic therapy or resonance methods also help improve their subjective well-being.

Prevention of polyps

Intensive care of the nasal mucosa after surgery or successful drug treatment is critical. This includes inhalations and nasal douches, for example, with salt water. Using nasal sprays containing cortisone over a more extended period (several months) is also part of proper aftercare. The sinus (sinusitis) infiltration is treated with antibiotics, decongestant, and expectorant medication.

If the cause of the polyps was an allergy, identifying and avoiding the triggers is particularly important. If this does not succeed, a renewed growth formation is very likely. In general, the recurrence rate for polyp diseases is unfortunately relatively high, with around a quarter of patients falling ill again within a few years.